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Summary
Midline catheters are commonly inserted by nurses to make short and long-term infusion of intravenous fluids and medication easier. This article provides an overview of the value of these devices in adult nursing. It also describes the history and management of the midline catheter in relation to current research and evidence-based practice.
Keywords
Intravenous therapy; Midline catheters; Venous system
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Aims and intended learning outcomes
Intravenous (IV) therapy is a vital component of patient care for inpatients and those receiving home therapy. The aim of this article is to help nurses gain an understanding of the midline catheter, including its history, placement, general care and maintenance, indications for use and potential complications.
After reading this article you should be able to:
* Describe the anatomy and physiology for midline catheter placement.
* Describe the midline catheter and how to assess patient need.
* Explain the indications, advantages and contraindications of the midline catheter.
* Outline insertion techniques in relation to the anatomy of the venous system.
* Discuss the care of patients with a midline catheter.
* Demonstrate an awareness of possible catheter-related complications and methods of assessment and management.
* Discuss issues related to the nurse's role and responsibilities in relation to nurse-led practice.
Introduction
The midline catheter has been available for many years and has been widely used to facilitate the administration of IV medication (Anderson 2004). In recent years the device has been reintroduced into the peripheral vascular access range (Dougherty 1999). The midline catheter minimises the need for repeated peripheral cannulations, is well tolerated by patients with minimal complications, and if the patient's condition permits it, allows the patient to be discharged early and cared for at home. In patients who require medium to long-term IV therapy a midline catheter should be considered, as it is a reliable and safe vascular access device (VAD) for both hospital and community IV drug administration.
This article aims to provide nurses with the knowledge to establish...