Agreement on actions to be taken and their respective importance in the assessment, treatment and follow-up of phlebitis secondary to peripheral venous catheterisation: a Delphi study at national level in Spain

Abstract Background: The nursing professional is ultimately responsible for the care and management of peripheral venous catheters (PVCs) and, therefore, all related complications, with phlebitis being one of the most frequent from an epidemiological perspective. The present study determined the consensus with respect to and the importance of actions for the assessment, treatment and follow-up of phlebitis secondary to peripheral venous catheterization in expert hospital care nurses at national level in Spain. Methods: Three-round Delphi technique. An online questionnaire with three open-ended questions based on the dimensions of phlebitis assessment, treatment and follow-up was used. For the statistical analysis of the results, frequencies and percentages were used to determine consensus, and measures of central tendency (mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation) to assess importance. The coefficient of variation was set as acceptable at ≤30%. Results: The final sample was 27 expert nurses. At the conclusion of round 3, activities were prioritised according to their importance, with six items included in PVC-related phlebitis assessment (symptomatology/observation, redness, Maddox scale, induration, temperature and pain), two in treatment (catheter removal, Thrombocid® + application of cold) and just one in follow-up (general monitoring + temperature control). Conclusions: There is a great disparity in relation to PVC-related phlebitis assessment, treatment and follow-up actions. More clinical studies are therefore needed to minimise the complications associated with the use of PVCs, given their impact on quality of care, patient safety and economic cost. Relevance to clinical practice: Importance of national expert consensus to promote further studies that can contribute to evidence-based practice in the management of PVC-related phlebitis.