USE OF VISUAL INFUSION PHLEBITIS (VIP) SCORE TO CARE AND CONTROL INTRAVENOUS (IV) INFUSION RELATED PHLEBITIS

Source of Funding: Self Conflicts of interest: None DOI: 10.16965/ijims.2019.117 Phlebitis is the inflammation of vein which is a common complication associated with the use of peripheral intravenous (IV) catheters affecting between 27% and 70% of all patients receiving IV therapy and association with up to 10% of S.Aureus bacteremia. Importance factors found to determine phlebitis incidence include the kind of infusion and dwell time of intravenous cannula. The use of the visual infusion phlebitis (VIP) score tool for the assessment of the early signs of phlebitis along with prompt removal of peripheral intravenous cannula has been very successful in reducing below the acceptable rate of 5%. However, achieving this goal depends on strict compliance with guidelines for cannula insertion, documentation and assessment using the VIP tool.