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THE BAJA POST
NEWSROOM
SOURCE: PR NEWSMEDIA
A new study published in the peer-reviewed British Journal of Nursing this month examines several important metrics that describe the performance of the ivWatch patient monitoring system for IV infiltrations and extravasations in the United Kingdom’s Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust Hospital, IVAS infusion unit from August 2023 until January 2024.
The initial two-week phase of the study found that continuous infusion site monitoring using the ivWatch system detected infiltration and extravasation events earlier than relying on intermittent visual observation alone and that detection occurred in 100% of IV infiltration events before a clinician could visually detect the event.
The device captured 15 infiltrations in the 214 peripheral IV sites monitored, all caught in the very early stages so that most patients had little, if any, pain or discomfort with no extravasation injuries.
According to study author Andrew Barton, NHS nurse consultant, IV Therapy and Vascular Access, and National Infusion and Vascular Access Society (NIVAS) chair, «All the patients who returned for multiple infusions during the two-week study requested the use of ivWatch.
Their feedback was that the use of ivWatch made them feel more safe about receiving their infusion. The infusion nurses also felt reassured by the use of ivWatch, as it gave them peace of mind, too. One staff member said it was like having a second pair of eyes to monitor the infusion site.»
The ivWatch system has been clinically tested and proven in laboratory and real-world settings, demonstrating high sensitivity and specificity across various patient populations. The system’s continuous monitoring and early detection capabilities have the potential to significantly reduce the severity of IV infiltrations and extravasations, improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.
The study was extended to a second phase for an additional five months. The data collected for the first and second phases of the study included a total of 3507 hours of monitoring time for 2254 monitored IVs.
One hundred and twenty-two (122) red Check IV notifications were issued, demonstrating a 5.4% infiltration and extravasation rate.
