• María Jesús Pérez-Granda, María Ramírez Guembe, Cristina Rincón, Patricia Muñoz, and Emilio Bouza.
• 1 Department of Anesthesiology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid - Spain.
• J Vasc Access. 2014 Nov 1;15(6):524-8.

PurposeSurvey of intravascular catheter management is an essential step in the control and prevention of catheter-related infection. In recent years, most surveillance studies only included catheters from intensive care units (ICUs). Data regarding the level of care and adherence to international guidelines in a whole general institution are scarce. Our objective was to evaluate the care situation of intravascular catheters in our adult units of a General Hospital.MethodsWe surveyed adults hospitalized in non-psychiatric/maternity wards. In a week, a nurse visited all the adult hospitalized patients. Data were registered in a protocol that included variables, such as no. of catheters, location of catheter, type of catheter, date of placement and the need of an indication of each catheter in the visit day.ResultsWe included in the study a total of 753 adult patients. Of them, 653 (86.7%) had one or more inserted catheters at the moment of the study visit (total: 797 catheters). Of all the catheters, 144 (18.0%) were central venous catheters and 653 (81.9%) were peripheral lines. The hospitalization units where the patients were admitted were ICU, 52 (6.9%); and non-ICU, 601 (92.0%). There were 183 (22.9%) catheters with no need to remain in place in the day of the study. Overall, we found 464 (71.0%) patients with one or more opportunities for catheter care improvement.ConclusionsA rapid survey of the care situation of intravascular catheters is feasible and easy to do with our methodology. The data show great opportunity for improvement, mainly in the non-ICU areas.

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