Collecting the evidence: the nursing management of intravenous therapy

Abstract

Objectives: This study was prompted by the need to identify and measure the impact of change on the existing roles and responsibilities of nurses with reference to the management of intravenous (IV) therapy in terms of activity and workload, standards of care, scope of practice and risk management. Design: a study was designed to include: • an activity analysis to identify changes in nursing workload • a small research-based project to examine clinical practice • a risk management exercise to identify ‘the harm’. Setting: a large acute teaching hospital with regional specialities. Participants: key representatives from research, audit, resource management, education and training and clinical practice worked in partnership to inform an evidence-based approach to support practice. Findings: evidence-based practice can be enhanced by combining traditional researchmethods, findings from service evaluation, audit and risk management exercises. Discussion: the use of local data, specific research findings and the expertise of practitioners, managers, educators and researchers can be combined to underpin safer, more clinically and cost-effective approaches to the nurse management of IV therapy.