When staff were trained in ultrasound guided cannulation, missed cannulations per month significantly decreased, according to research reported by Healio.
The results come from a 5-year follow-up of a process improvement project that took place from 2013 to 2017. Luehr performed an electronic health record analysis of missed cannulations and use of a bedside ultrasound machine. The timeline for the project was split in three phases: phase 1 began before the ultrasound machine was purchased; in phase 2A and 2B, staff used the ultrasound; and when phase 3 began, an ultrasound guided cannulation policy, procedure, training program and competency evaluation program were established.
July 2019 through October 2019 had the highest rate of missed cannulations, which Luehr wrote was attributable to an ultrasound machine purchased in June 2019 with slightly different functionality. Investigators found 30.5% of the missed cannulations during these months were performed by a newly hired, recent graduate RN.
Read more at Healio.
