Abstract

Background : In many university hospitals, intravenous(IV) therapies and samplings had been one of the most important works of doctors who are in training. However, recently as patient oriented care is becoming more weighted for qualified health service IV therapies should be the works of specialized personnels. This study was conducted to investigate the medical staff's perception on IV team, to survey patient or parent's expectation on IV team, and to assess the frequency of IV therapy related complications and the characteristics of phlebitis among the hospitalized children. Methods : We collected data prospectively before the start of IV team from February 22 to February 29. 1999 and from September 27 to October 3, 1999, 6 months after beginning of IV team at Seoul National University Children's Hospital. IV team started their activities from March 1, 1999. General pediatric wards were not included for the IV and sampling team and oncology ward and surgical units were all included for the IV and sampling team's work. IV specialist was the well trained nurse who had been working in the field of pediatrics especially for the oncology patients. The subjects of this study were medical staffs who were working in children's hospital as doctors in training and patients who were treated with IV therapies in children's hospital during the same period. Results : Doctors responded that IV team need to be organized for IV care and expected IV team could reduce their work load. Parents of patients also responded IV team was very improtant to perform high quality IV care. They had willingness to pay extra charge for IV team care. In the wards where IV team did not work, they used various kinds and sizes of catheters, but in the wards where IV team worked, they needed just one or two types of catheters. As the exact role of IV team is not still established, job description is needed between the IV team and medical doctors. In the aspects of medical costs. it could save the materials for the IV also. Conclusion : This study showed that IV team could increase patient's satisfaction with decrease of medical doctors work load and concomitantly could save the costs of IV materials. And for the expansion of the IV team, job description is needed and for the total care of the children IV specialist and sampling team should expand their roles.

Keywords

• Intravenous therapy;
• Hospitalized children;
• IV specialist;
• Quality;
• Satisfaction