Mothers’ knowledge regarding peripheral intravenous catheter caring and complications among pediatric patients: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: Pediatric patients are considered at risk for Peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) complications more than adults. This study aimed to assess the level of mothers’ knowledge of PIVC maintenance, caring, and complications among pediatric patients. It was also aimed to investigate the association between maintenance and complication knowledge of PIVC. Furthermore, demographic factors were investigated to assess associations on mothers’ knowledge of PIVC.

Methods: The study adopted a cross-sectional design. This study was performed on a convenience sample of 193 mothers from a tertiary hospital in Jordan in 2020.

Results: Mothers’ knowledge regarding complications was higher than their knowledge of maintenance and caring of PIVC. Mothers’ knowledge toward caring for PIVC was positively correlated with their knowledge about PIVC complications. Mothers’ age and the number of hospital admissions were found to be significantly associated with the level of maintenance and caring knowledge of PIVC but not with complication knowledge of PIVC. The higher the educational level of a mother the less prone she is to complications of PIVC in pediatric patients.

Conclusions: It is recommended that health professionals working in pediatric engage mothers in educational sessions to improve maintenance, care, and to prevent complications of PIVC among pediatric patients.