Patients of all ages ≥18 years to >70 years applied their knowledge of the VIP score for accurate assessment and monitoring of their PIVCs for visual signs of phlebitis, with findings that could guide innovative clinical practice developments in safe PIVC care.
Patient knowledge of using the VIP score for PIVC self-monitoring was statistically significant on day 1 and day 2 after PIVC insertion, but not on day 3.
Patients' accuracy of VIP score scoring was comparable with nurses' scores.
Major in-hospital adverse events were not statistically different between younger and older participant age groups.
Patients across all age groups (≥18 years to >70 years) were able to apply VIP score knowledge for accurate PIVC assessment and monitoring.
A structured Patient Knowledge Evaluation Questionnaire (PKEQ) was used to evaluate patient knowledge of VIP score use on days 1, 2, and 3 of hospitalization.
This research suggests that hospital patients can be taught to monitor their own intravenous (IV) catheter sites for early signs of a complication called phlebitis — inflammation of a vein — using a standardized visual checklist called the Visual Infusion Phlebitis (VIP) score. In this pilot study of 64 hospitalized adults, patients received brief education on how to use the VIP score after admission, and their self-assessments were found to be comparable in accuracy to those made by nurses. Knowledge levels were significantly higher on the first and second days after IV catheter insertion, suggesting that education delivered close to the time of insertion may be particularly effective. Importantly, patients of all ages — including those over 70 years old — were able to learn and apply the VIP score to accurately check their own IV sites for visual warning signs such as redness, swelling, or pain. There were no significant differences in serious adverse events between younger and older patient groups, suggesting that age alone was not a barrier to participating in this type of self-monitoring. This research suggests that engaging patients in monitoring their own IV catheters could be a practical and safe way to support earlier detection of IV-related complications in hospital settings. Involving patients as active participants in their own care may complement nursing surveillance and potentially reduce harm from undetected IV site problems, though larger studies would be needed to confirm these findings more broadly.
Soo Hoo S, Uy J, McDade A, Hyun J, Aguiba K, Waite M, et al.. (2026). Patient Self-Monitoring of Peripheral Intravenous Catheters Using the Visual Infusion Phlebitis Score: A Pilot Study.. Journal of infusion nursing : the official publication of the Infusion Nurses Society. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAN.0000000000000655