Management of peripheral venous catheters and implementation of guidelines in Germany: a national survey

Background: Due to their frequent use, peripheral venous catheters (PVCs) are of importance in terms of catheter-related infections and their prevention. In 2017, revised national guidelines for the prevention of PVC-related infections were published in Germany.

Aim: To describe PVC handling practices and assess the implementation of national guidelines for the prevention of PVC-related infections in German acute care hospitals, 10 months after their release.

Methods: An online survey on the management of PVCs in hospital wards was conducted. For this, 1191 acute care hospitals participating in the national surveillance system for healthcare-associated infections in Germany were invited to participate. Each hospital was asked to complete the survey for an intensive care unit (ICU), as well as a medical ward and a surgical ward. Participation in the survey was voluntary.

Findings: In total, 701 hospitals (response rate 59%) participated and provided data on 1449 wards (599 ICUs, 446 medical wards, 404 surgical wards). Approximately 43% of wards reported that they had implemented the new national guidelines where necessary. Structured surveillance for PVC-associated infections was established in only 21% of wards. While 94% of wards reported the inclusion of aspects of PVC handling in their general infection prevention education, questions on the training methods yielded diverse results. Approximately 59% of wards reported that they did not routinely use a combination of alcohol and a remanant disinfectant for skin disinfection before PVC insertion.

Conclusion: Generally, PVC management in Germany is well organized. However, potential for improvement was identified, particularly considering surveillance and implementation of selected national guidelines.