Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral IV Access in the Hands of Nurses' Aides

A large trial shows that ultrasound helps with moderate or difficult anticipated IV access when lines are placed by emergency department technicians.

Multiple small studies since 2005 have shown that ultrasound guidance improves success of peripheral intravenous (IV) line placement when access is difficult. These researchers randomized 1189 patients to ultrasound-guided or traditional peripheral IV cannulation performed by emergency department technicians. Patients were stratified into three groups according to anticipated difficulty of access as assessed by technicians before randomization: difficult (could not see or palpate a vein in either arm), moderately difficult (could see or palpate 1 or more veins but thought access would be difficult with the landmark approach), or not difficult (could see or palpate 1 or more veins and thought access with the landmark approach would be easy).…

Reviewing Author

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Grant/Research SupportAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality; CDC; NIH–National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; NIH–National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); NIH–NIAID–Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group; Merck; Pfizer; Boehringer-Ingelheim; Shire; Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Novartis; bioMérieux; Siemens; Rapid Pathogen Screening; Magnolia; Stago; Innovative Biosensors; Molecular Detection, Inc.; Dyax Corp.; Trius Pharmaceuticals

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral IV Access in the Hands of Nurses' Aides

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Reviewing Author