The effects of virtual intravenous and patient simulator training compared to the traditional approach of teaching nurses: a research project on peripheral i.v. catheter insertion.

Teaching intravenous (i.v.) catheter insertion where nurses "see one, do one, and teach one" is standard protocol, yet it allows little opportunity for practice. This study assesses the effectiveness of using mannequins and simulators to train nurses. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group for training, and afterward they completed an i.v. insertion survey for each peripheral i.v. they performed. There was a significant relationship between the number of i.v. insertion attempts and the type of training, Χ (1, N = 41) = 4.19, P = .041, ϕ = 0.32, and a significant difference in the number of i.v. insertion attempts between the 2 groups, U = 143, P = .043.