A Comparison of Local Anesthetics for Intravenous Catheter Insertion in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: A Randomized Clinical Pilot Trial.

Peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion is one of the most painful procedures pediatric patients undergo during hospitalization. To date, local anesthetics delivered via cream, patch, and needle-free injection have not been rigorously evaluated together. This study aimed to investigate feasibility and potential efficacy of local anesthetics on pain intensity during PIVC insertion in an unblinded, single-center, randomized clinical pilot trial. Between March 2017 and February 2020, 88 hospitalized children aged 12 months to 18 years in an acute pediatric unit at an academic medical center were randomized to 1 of 3 local anesthetics: 1) lidocaine/prilocaine cream, 2) lidocaine/tetracaine patch, and 3) unbuffered lidocaine needle-free injection. Feasibility outcomes were recruitment and protocol adherence. Pain intensity was measured using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (age <8 years) and Verbal Numeric Rating (VNRS) scales (age ≥8 years) before, during, and after procedure. Secondary outcomes included catheterization attempts, procedure time, and parent satisfaction. Recruitment rate was acceptable (2.7 patients per month). Protocol adherence was high (92%). Preliminary clinical findings showed no significant difference in pain intensity across treatments. Procedure time to successful insertion differed in the VNRS group, favoring unbuffered lidocaine needle-free injection. Conduct of a definitive, full-scale randomized clinical trial in the hospitalized pediatric population is feasible.

Does carrier fluid reduce low flow drug infusion error from syringe size?

BACKGROUND: Critically ill neonates and pediatric patients commonly require multiple low flow infusions. Volume limitations are imposed by small body habitus and co-morbidities like cardiopulmonary disease, renal failure, or fluid overload. Vascular access is limited by diminutive veins. Maintenance fluids or parenteral nutrition in conjunction with actively titrated infusions such as insulin, fentanyl, prostaglandins, inotropes and vasopressors may necessitate simultaneous infusions using a single lumen to maintain vascular catheter patency. This requirement for multiple titratable infusions requires concentrated medications at low flows, rather than more dilute drugs at higher flows that in combination may volume overload small infants. AIM: To determine whether carrier fluid reduces variability that variability of low flow drug infusions is proportional to syringe size in pediatric critical care. METHODS: We assessed concentrations of orange "drug" in a 0.2 mL/h low flow clinical model with blue dyed carrier fluid at 5 mL/h, using 3-, 10-, or 60-mL syringes. A graduated volumetric pipette was used to measure total flow. Mean time to target concentration was 30, 21, and 46 min in 3-, 10-, and 60-mL syringes, respectively (P = 0.42). After achieving target concentration, more dilute drug was delivered by 60-mL (P < 0.001) and 10-mL syringes (P = 0.04) compared to 3-mL syringes. Drug overdoses were observed during the initial 45 min of infusion in 10-and 60-mL syringes. Total volumes infused after target concentration were less in the 60-mL condition compared to 3-mL (P < 0.01) and 10-mL (P < 0.001) syringes. RESULTS: Linear mixed effects models demonstrated lesser delivered drug concentrations in the initial 30 min by 3-mL compared to 10-and 60-mL syringes (P = 0.005 and P < 0.001, respectively) but greater drug concentrations and total infused drug in the subsequent 30-60 and 60-90 min intervals with the 3- and 10-mL compared to 60-mL syringes. CONCLUSION: With carrier fluid, larger syringes were associated with significantly less drug delivery, less total volume delivered, and other flow problems in our low flow drug model. Carrier fluid should not be used to compensate for inappropriately large syringes in critical low flow drug infusions.

Clinical nurse specialists shaping policies and procedures via an evidence-based clinical practice council.

In the practice of nursing, organizations with progressive evidence-based practice programs implement structures and processes whereby nurses are engaged in the review of existing research and in the development of clinical practice documents to better align nursing practices with the best available scientific knowledge. At our academic hospital system, clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) took the lead to help transform a traditional nursing policy and procedure committee into a hospital-wide, staff-represented Clinical Practice Council (CPC) that ensures evidence-based nursing practices are reflected in the organization's nursing practice documents for the provision of patient care. Clinical nurse specialists function as mentors and cochairs who are dedicated to ensuring that nursing practice is supported by the latest evidence and committed to guiding staff nurses to continually move their practice forward. The success of the CPC is due to the leadership and commitment of the CNSs. This article describes the structure, process, and outcomes of an effective CPC where CNSs successfully engage frontline clinicians in promoting nursing care that is evidence based. Clinical nurse specialist leadership is increasingly made visible as CNSs effectively involve staff nurses in practice reforms to improve patient outcomes.