Skin Glue to Reduce Intravenous Catheter Failure in Children

Intravenous (IV) catheter placement is the most common medical procedure in emergency department settings. IVs are used to deliver medications, fluids and blood products to patients. At the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, approximately three-quarters of children admitted to hospital have an IV inserted while they are in the emergency department. However, a challenge associated with IVs is that they sometimes stop working or fall out before treatment has been completed (this is known as IV failure). When IVs fail, a new IV often needs to be placed. Children rank IV placement as one of the leading causes of pain in the hospital setting. The investigators are interested in understanding whether there are strategies that can help keep IVs in place longer for children admitted to hospital.

Previous studies investigating whether certain types of bandages over IV sites are helpful in keeping IVs in longer found all bandages performed about the same. However, a recent study of adult patients showed that using medical-grade skin glue to secure the IV significantly reduced IV failure rates when compared to usual care. There have been no similar studies in children. The objective of this study is to understand whether placement of skin glue at IV insertion sites is effective in decreasing IV failure rates in children. This study will take place in the emergency department at Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). Consenting children will be randomly assigned to receive IV placement either with or without skin glue (one drop at the IV insertion site and another drop under the hub of the catheter), along with otherwise standard securement with a transparent dressing. The investigators will look at the numbers of children in each group whose IVs fail before their intended treatment course is complete. This study has the potential to improve patient and family satisfaction, decrease nursing workload and reduce healthcare costs.