Randomized clinical trial to compare the patient's experience after peripheral venipuncture catheterization using the conventional technique (vein visualization and palpation) versus ultrasound-guided venous puncture.

Patients with indication of peripheral venous puncture, admitted to the clinical inpatient units on the hospital where the study will be conducted (Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre - HCPA) will be enrolled in this single-center trial and will be randomized to conventional peripheral venipuncture performed by a registered nurse; or ultrasound-guided peripheral venipuncture performed by a registered nurse with expertise in vascular access.

Study Protocol

When there is a need of a peripheral venous access for the inpatient, the medical or nursing care team will contact the researchers, informing the personal data of the possible candidate to participate in the study. By fulfilling the eligibility criteria, the patient will be invited and informed about the study proposal; and, if he agrees to participate, he will sign the consent form. The type of procedure to be performed will be randomized through a draw. The procedure options are:

1. Intervention: ultrasound peripheral venipuncture executed by specialized nurses (vascular access program), or
2. Control: conventional peripheral venipuncture executed by clinical practice nurses..

Individuals who do not agree to participate in the study will have their data stored on a patient exclusion checklist. In both groups, intervention and control, up to two attempts will be made by the same professional and, if there is no success on the procedure, another professional will be designated for two more attempts. Ultrasound Site Rite 8 or Ultrasound Site Rite 5, which are portable ultrasound devices that include 2D ultrasound imaging in real time, will be used on the Intervention Group (1) procedure.

The peripheral venipuncture procedure for both groups will be performed according to the standard operating procedures recommended by the institution where the study will be conducted (HCPA). The catheters to be used will be the peripheral venous catheters made available by the institution.

If there is a failure of puncture in the Control Group (2), the study participant will follow the institution's routine to adapt an appropriate vascular access, which is the activation of a nurse specialist in vascular access, who can perform peripheral venipuncture guided by ultrasound. In the event of a new insertion failure, the care team (doctor and nurse) discusses the case to define a new approach according to the infusional therapy, considering the protocol for the indication of venous vascular accesses at the institution. Thereafter, the patient can proceed for oral treatment, insertion of a peripherally inserted central catheter, insertion of a short-term central venous catheter, hypodermoclysis, long-term central venous catheter (totally or semi-implanted), according to the decision of the assistant team.

In the case of failure of the puncture in the Intervention Group (1), the study participant will follow the same routine of the institution, as explained above, for the adequacy of an adequate vascular access. However, in this case, the nurse specialist in vascular access will not be contacted, as the intervention procedure already uses ultrasound.

All participants who successfully insert a peripheral venous catheter in both groups will be monitored for the occurrence of any event related to the procedure from the time of insertion of the catheter until the loss of access for any reason, removal of the device at the end of therapy, discharge, death or eight days of follow-up, whichever comes first. Peripheral venous access that remains for more than eight days will be counted as event-free, access survival. Study participants with failed insertion will have the outcome computed in the database and will be followed up for another 48 hours to assess any complications resulting from the puncture attempt.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults, age = or > 18 years;
• Admitted to the clinical inpatient units on the hospital where the study will be conducted (HCPA), with indication of peripheral venous puncture;
• Patients who do not configure emergency care.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who have already received ultrasound-guided peripheral venipuncture at the current hospitalization;
• Patients in a critical or unstable clinical condition;
• Patients admitted to surgical units at HCPA;
• Patients in coronavirus (COVID-19) care units.

Researchers and investigators responsible for data collection will be blinded for collection and analysis of data.