Survey of heat use during peripheral IV insertion by health care workers.

Abstract

Health care workers at an academic medical center in the Midwest were surveyed to identify common practices regarding heat use during peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheter insertion. Of the 907 who responded, the majority used heat to facilitate PIV insertion at least sometimes, when veins were not easily seen or not palpable, applying a commercial dry hot pack for 2 to 5 minutes before selecting an insertion site. Heat use correlated with practice role and population, frequency of PIV insertion, and perceived PIV skill. Findings will guide development of a research protocol to compare the effects of dry heat, moist heat, and no heat on PIV insertion success.