Prevention of sepsis associated with the insertion of intravenous cannulae. The experience in a coronary care unit.

The effect of a strictly maintained treatment protocol on the incidence of bacteraemia associated with peripheral intravenous catheters was studied in a coronary care unit. This protocol was supervised and carried out by nursing staff members. Before the introduction of the protocol in October 1981, Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia associated with peripheral intravenous catheters had developed in five patients and led to the deaths of four of these patients. During this time, 2364 patients were admitted to the unit. Since October 1981, there have been no further episodes of systemic sepsis associated with peripheral intravenous catheters in 2279 patients admitted to the unit (P = 0.03; Fisher's exact test).