Exploring the Use of Ultrasound Guidance for Peripheral Intravenous Access

Peripheral intravenous access is essential in the treatment of most hospitalized patients. Establishing peripheral intravenous access can be difficult in certain patients such as patients who are obese, hypovolemic, intravenous drug users, and in the pediatric population. Patients with difficult access are exposed to an increased number of cannulation attempts, increased procedure times, and increased discomfort, which leads to an overall decrease in patient satisfaction. In addition, patients with difficult access may be delayed treatment due to unsuccessful cannulation attempts, which interferes with their healthcare. The research shows that ultrasound guidance to facilitate peripheral intravenous access is a proactive, indispensable, advanced, and evidenced based intervention that addresses patient needs and increases patient satisfaction. The purpose of this project is to propose a policy regarding the use of ultrasound guidance for peripheral intravenous access in order to address patient needs and increase patient satisfaction, with a focus on difficult access patients. The proposed policy is to educate nurses on how to implement a procedure in order to decrease the rate of unsuccessful cannulation attempts in hospitalized patients. In conclusion, the research supports ultrasound guidance for intravenous access as a simple technique that should be routinely practiced. Key words: ultrasound, intravenous, cannulation, policy, evidence-base