Impact of Physician Inspection in the Detection of Phlebitis and Factors Contributing to it in Admitted Children of a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Prospective Study

Objective To determine whether additional dedicated observations by a doctor would increase the pickup rate of phlebitis and related complications due to intravenous cannulation. Also, to identify the common demographic and clinical factors predisposing to phlebitis in children. Methods This prospective study was conducted from January 2019 through December 2019. A total of 184 children with 341 cannulations were enrolled. The authors added dedicated inspection of cannula by the physician during rounds in attempt to increase the detection of phlebitis. The difference in detection rates of thrombophlebitis by physician and routine observation along with the demographic and clinical variables contributing to thrombophlebitis in hospitalized children were studied. Results Total incidence of thrombophlebitis was 35/341 (10.3%), which included 2 extravasations. Nineteen events (55%) were picked up by routine nursing observations and an additional 16 (45%) by the physician. Among the factors contributing to phlebitis, maternal education status <12th standard (41.7% vs. 15.1%P = 0.018), cannula located on forearm (pvalue 0.008), bigger cannula size (18% vs. 8.6%P = 0.008), non-splinted cannula (14.4% vs. 7.7%P = 0.046) intravenous fluid containing potassium (15.4% vs. 2.9%,P = 0.001) and concentrated infusions in particular aminophylline and magnesium sulphate (26.3% vs. 9.3%,P = 0.018) were found to be significantly associated with the development of phlebitis. Conclusions Physician inspection during rounds can improve phlebitis detection and will also increase the sensitivity of nursing observation.