December 4, 2024Northern Health relaunched its Peripheral Intravenous Cannulas (PIVC) Safety Campaign this November, led by Associate Professor Craig Aboltins, Head of Infectious Diseases, and Barsha Baral, Infection Prevention Clinical Nurse.
A cannula is a small flexible tube that is inserted through the skin into a peripheral vein in the arm. This allows for the administration of a range of therapies such as medicines and fluids directly into the bloodstream, which otherwise cannot be given, or are less effective if given by other ways. Cannulas are also used to perform tests to help diagnose and treat health problems.
“Peripheral Intravenous Cannulas (PIVC) insertion is the most common invasive procedure we perform here at Northern Health. PIVCs are important for the care of many of our patients however they come with a small risk of complications, including serious infection. Other complications of PIVCs such as phlebitis can also be uncomfortable, which impacts the patient experience,” said Ms Baral.
This campaign underscores Northern Health’s commitment to reducing complications, improving care, and staying aligned with evidence-based practices.
PIVC Safety Week was an opportunity to reinforce best practices in PIVC clinical care via a number of education initiatives held across the organisation.
Key messages included:
- Consent matters: Always obtain verbal patient consent before inserting a PIVC. To support this, we’ve introduced the “Looking After My Cannula” brochure, designed to inform and empower patients to participate in their care.
- No unnecessary insertions: Avoid inserting a PIVC “just in case.”
- Timely removal: Remove PIVCs as soon as they are no longer needed. If there is no prescribed intravenous medication of fluid or no plan to use it for other reasons within the next 12 hours, the PIVC should be removed.
- Optimal placement: The preferred location for PIVCs is the forearm. Avoid inserting PIVCs in the antecubital fossa (the crease of the elbow joint) and other areas over joints, as these sites carry a higher risk of complications.
“We would like to thank all the staff who organised and participated in the events throughout the week. Your dedication helps improve patient outcomes and experiences for one of the most commonly performed procedures in Australia,” said A/Prof Aboltins.
Pictured in featured image (L-R): Barsha Baral, Infection Prevention Clinical Nurse and Associate Professor Craig Aboltins, Head of Infectious Diseases.
