Involvement of veterinary students in the placement of intravenous catheters in adult horses in a teaching hospital does not significantly increase the rate of catheter complications.

The study investigated if veterinary student participation in intravenous catheter (IVC) placement in horses results in an increased rate of complications, concluding that student involvement did not lead to significant changes in complication rates.

Research Methodology

• The researchers examined 455 IVC placements in 394 adult horses at a university teaching hospital.
• An electronic medical record search provided data related to IVC placement and removal for a whole year, from January to December 2022.
• Information collected from these records included the individual’s role in preparing the site and placing the IVC, the site of IVC placement, and the type of IVC used.
• Additional data compiled was the reason for IVC removal, any visible changes to the vein when removed, along with other clinical data, which facilitated the categorization of each case.
• This data was reviewed retrospectively and mixed-effects logistic regression models were used for statistical analysis, setting significance at P ≤ .05.

Research Findings

• The research found an overall complication rate of 15.6%.
• The most prevalent type of complication observed was the swelling of the vein where the IVC was placed.
• Of the 455 IVC site preparations and placements, veterinary students were involved in 87.
• Importantly, no statistically significant differences were found in the complication rates between IVC sites prepared or placed by veterinary students compared to non-student personnel.

Conclusion

• The study’s findings indicate that even though there may be reluctance from veterinary personnel and clients to allow student involvement in IVC placement in horses, the data suggests this hesitation is unfounded.
• Allowing veterinary students to participate in these procedural tasks does not increase the risk of IVC complications for horses treated in a teaching hospital environment.