Effectiveness of Midline Catheter Insertion Course in Improving Procedural Skills for Emergency Physicians and Nurses

Abstract

Background: Midline catheters (MCs) are effective and safe devices that provide patients with intravenous access within hospitals and healthcare facilities. This study aimed to investigate emergency medicine physicians' and nurses' clinical skills and confidence in performing midline catheter insertion after a directed simulation course. Methods: This single-center study was conducted in King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, among physicians and nurses in the emergency department (ED). The study participants were recruited into a simulation course. The participants' practical skills were assessed for quality improvement, and retrospectively, the difference in pre-post measurement was analyzed, and a cross-sectional part that included a survey of self-rated comfort levels. Results: A total of 51 participants were included in the study. Two-thirds of the participants were physicians (66.7%), worked more than 15 shifts (66.7%), and were Saudi (66.7%). Most worked in governmental hospitals (90.2%), and about half were residents (43.1%). There was a significantly high level of agreement among the participants regarding the advantages of using a midline catheter over central venous catheters (CVC) (p-value [SJEMed 2023; 4(3.000): 167-172]

Keywords

• emergency medicine
• midline
• central lines
• simulation