Peripheral intravenous catheter related phlebitis: A point prevalence study in Iraq

Objective: This study is aimed at determining the prevalence of peripheral intravenous catheter-related phlebitis in patients with peripheral intravenous catheters. Methods: This study is a point prevalence investigation involving 335 peripheral intravenous catheters among hospitalized patients in a teaching hospital in Iraq. Data collection utilized forms that documented patient characteristics, details about the peripheral intravenous catheters, and a phlebitis scale. Results: The overall prevalence of phlebitis in the study was 64.5%, with the majority of cases classified as Grade 1. Phlebitis primarily developed on Day 1 and was most commonly observed in patients in the Emergency Department. A statistically significant relationship was found between phlebitis development and chronic diseases, with a significantly higher prevalence observed in patients diagnosed with heart failure (88.5%) compared to those with other chronic conditions ( p  = 0.004). Conclusion: Although the study found a high prevalence of phlebitis, most cases were classified as Grade 1. These findings support the development of policies to enhance patient safety and contribute to improving healthcare systems and literature in Iraq.