Conditions Affecting the Performance of Peripheral Vein Cannulation during Hospital Placement: A Case Study.

Monika Ravik,Anton Havnes,Ida Torunn Bjørk

doi:10.1155/2017/9748492

Abstract

Learning practical nursing skills is an important part of the baccalaureate in nursing. However, many newly qualified nurses lack practical skill proficiency required to ensure safe patient care. The invasive skill peripheral vein cannulation (PVC) is particularly challenging to learn and perform. This study explored conditions influencing nursing students' learning and performance of the technical implementation of a PVC during their clinical placement period. A qualitative and descriptive case study design with two students in Norway practicing PVC during their clinical placement was conducted. One student who mastered the vein cannulation was compared with one student who did not. Data were collected in late 2012 using multiple data sources: semistructured interviews, ad hoc conversations, and video recordings. Video recordings of the two students' cannula implementations were used to help clarify and validate the descriptions and to identify gaps between what students said and what they did. Thematic analysis of the transcribed text data enabled identifying themes that influenced skill performance. There were two overall themes: individual and contextual conditions influencing the technical implementation of a peripheral vein cannula. These findings were evaluated in terms of Benner's work on scientific and practical knowledge, defined as “knowing that” and “knowing how.”

Highlights

Registered nurses must be qualified in practical skill performance to ensure quality in patient care [1]
Peripheral vein cannulation (PVC) is one of the most frequently performed invasive skills by nurses working in hospitals, with up to 70–80 percent of hospitalised patients requiring medication delivered through a vein cannula [7, 8]
By comparing one student who mastered the technical implementation of the vein cannula with one student who did not, we aimed to describe in detail the conditions that influenced their ability to master the technical implementation of a peripheral venous cannula on patients in the clinical setting

Summary

Introduction

Registered nurses must be qualified in practical skill performance to ensure quality in patient care [1]. Practical nursing skills are complex tasks involving technical aspects, theoretical and practical knowledge, caring intentions adjusted to both patient and environment, and ethical and moral considerations [2]. Peripheral vein cannulation (PVC) is one of the most frequently performed invasive skills by nurses working in hospitals, with up to 70–80 percent of hospitalised patients requiring medication delivered through a vein cannula [7, 8]. PVC is considered the skill most difficult to master [5], especially the technical part of the cannula insertion: how to insert the cannula into the vein [9]. Mastering the technical part of PVC is important for completing other elements of the skill and undertaking it in a satisfactory manner [9]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion