Of the 11 million Australians accessing care in a hospital each year, an estimated 7.7 million will receive a peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC), also called a cannula, meaning this procedure is commonplace, particularly in the emergency department.(1) Although this is such a common procedure, first-attempt failure rates are high, with an estimated 40% failure rate in adults and 65% in the paediatric population.(1) All clinicians who are cannulation competent must be abl...

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Why we need to re-think our use of PIVCs - hear from the experts The insertion of a peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) or 'cannula' is one of the most common procedures performed in hospital, yet it is associated with a range of problems and can cause significant harm if not managed properly. REGISTER NOW for the live online launch to mark the release of Australia's Management of Peripheral Intravenous Catheters Clinical Care Standard, which will change our approach t...

Have you ever wondered what's best practice for maintaining IV patency? This video reveals the science behind the practice. We've updated our FAQ to help you deliver the best care when your patient needs to keep the vein open (kvo) via slow continuous infusion or intermittent flushing. To find out more about slow continous infusion (kvo), click here. To find out more about intermittent flushing, click here.   ...

Clinically indicated removal has long been the norm in pediatrics and an unofficial policy in difficult-to-cannulate adults to avoid multiple, painful insertion attempts. Now that evidence strongly supports clinically indicated peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVC) removal for all patients, implementation requires a focused effort, which can be achieved through planned processes using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) framework. Specific considerations incl...

Join us for this 3M Health Care Academy Asia Pacific 1-hour webinar, Friday 28 August 2020, 4pm AEST: Register here ...

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For the postgraduate student, vascular access clinician, or industry professional wanting to beef up their knowledge of vascular access, the Griffith University Vascular Access Devices And Intravenous Therapy: Transforming Evidence course could be the next best step in your career.
The course content has been d...

Addie, an 8-month old infant with osteomyelitis, needs IV access for 3 weeks of antibiotics. What device will best ensure successful therapy and low risk of complications? Liam, a 14 year old with cystic fibrosis, is hospitalized for the third time this year with an acute exacerbation. Despite multiple efforts by experienced clinicians, an IV cannot be successfully placed in a peripheral vein. Frustrated, the nurse says, "Let's just put in a PICC". Is this the best cho...