Standardization of Evidence-Based Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion, Assessment, and Maintenance Practices on a Medical-Surgical Unit

A quality improvement project to standardize peripheral intravenous catheter insertion, maintenance, and documentation was implemented with the goal of aligning with professional standards for peripheral intravenous catheter removal as clinically indicated. The project team included nursing professional development roles, content experts, and clinical nurses and engaged learners with multimodal strategies including interactive education and competency validation. Nurses successfully adopted practices to align with professional standards and increased dwell time without an increase in related bloodstream infections.