Lineus Medical services

IV lines are stressed each day they are in use. During normal activities of daily living, tugs and pulls on the IV line occur and are largely unavoidable. These forces can be transmitted to the dressing, surrounding skin, and/or the IV catheter that is in the vein. Some levels of force are acceptable and others reach a point where they become harmful to the IV and can lead to failure of the line. Clinical studies show us that on average, IVs fail 46% of the time in major clinical centers before the IVs reach the end of their intended use.

Securement devices and adhesive dressings serve a critical role in protecting IV catheters. While securements are becoming stronger and more robust, no securement can protect the catheter when large macro forces are applied to the IV tubing. To understand the force at which IV catheters begin to be threatened by pull forces on the IV line, four of the industry leading securement devices were tested in a pig skin model.

Saving Money For The Hospital; What is the cost of a peripheral IV restart?  A 2018 study of 55 consecutive peripheral IV dislodgements at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Indiana showed that the cost is $48.  This number takes into account lost medicine, IV supplies, lost nursing time, changing the bed sheets and gown and other expenses.  This $48 restart cost can be further broken down into $36 of hard cost (wasted IV supplies and medication) and $12 of labor.