Table 1 Descriptive statistics by study groups
| Â | n | VAS | n | Generalist | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Group sizea | Â | 69 (50) | Â | 69 (50) | 138 (100) |
Age (years)b | 69 | 64.0 (47.0–73.0) | 69 | 62.0 (47.0–71.0) | 62.0 (47.0–73.0) |
Sex: males | 69 | 43 (62) | 69 | 43 (62) | 86 (62) |
Weight category: overweight/obese | 69 | 37 (54) | 69 | 33 (48) | 70 (51) |
Skin integrity: good | 69 | 41 (59) | 69 | 36 (52) | 77 (56) |
Mobility at insertion: | 69 | Â | 69 | Â | Â |
 Independent |  | 35 (51) |  | 53 (77) | 88 (64) |
 Required assistance to mobilise |  | 21 (30) |  | 9 (13) | 30 (22) |
 Bed-bound |  | 13 (19) |  | 7 (10) | 20 (14) |
Reason for admission: | 69 | Â | 69 | Â | Â |
 Medical |  | 19 (28) |  | 19 (28) | 38 (28) |
 Surgical emergent |  | 14 (20) |  | 21 (30) | 35 (25) |
 Surgical elective |  | 36 (52) |  | 29 (42) | 65 (47) |
Infection at recruitment | 69 | 21 (30) | 69 | 21 (30) | 42 (30) |
Number of comorbidities: | 69 | Â | 69 | Â | Â |
 Zero |  | 12 (17) |  | 10 (14) | 22 (16) |
 One |  | 17 (25) |  | 15 (22) | 32 (23) |
 Two |  | 11 (16) |  | 17 (25) | 28 (20) |
 Three |  | 8 (12) |  | 9 (13) | 17 (12) |
 Four or more |  | 21 (30) |  | 18 (26) | 39 (28) |
Wound (present at recruitment) | 69 | 42 (61) | 69 | 40 (58) | 82 (59) |
Vein assessment: | 69 | Â | 69 | Â | Â |
 Excellent |  | 18 (26) |  | 25 (36) | 43 (31) |
 Good |  | 14 (20) |  | 19 (28) | 33 (24) |
 Fair or poor |  | 37 (54) |  | 25 (36) | 62 (45) |
Vein first choice for insertion: | 69 | Â | 69 | Â | Â |
 Cephalic |  | 38 (55) |  | 45 (65) | 83 (60) |
 Medial antebrachial |  | 15 (22) |  | 6 (9) | 21 (15) |
 Accessory cephalic |  | 8 (12) |  | 8 (12) | 16 (16) |
 Other |  | 8 (12) |  | 10 (14) | 18 (13) |
Location first choice for insertion: | 69 | Â | 69 | Â | Â |
 Posterior lower forearm |  | 32 (46) |  | 45 (65) | 77 (56) |
 Upper anterior forearm |  | 20 (29) |  | 7 (10) | 27 (20) |
 Wrist |  | 12 (17) |  | 10 (14) | 22 (16) |
 Other |  | 5 (7) |  | 7 (10) | 12 (9) |
Device sequence: | 69 | Â | 69 | Â | Â |
 Initial |  | 3 (4) |  | 0 (0) | 3 (2) |
 Subsequent |  | 66 (96) |  | 69 (100) | 135 (98) |
Reason for insertion: | 69 | Â | 69 | Â | Â |
 IV medications only |  | 20 (29) |  | 20 (29) | 40 (29) |
 IV medications and/or fluids |  | 49 (71) |  | 49 (71) | 98 (71) |
PVC is the appropriate device | 69 | 58 (84) | 69 | 55 (80) | 113 (82) |
Insertion difficulty (0 = none, 10 = max)b | 69 | 2.0 (0.0–5.0) | 11 | 2.0 (1.0–5.0) | 2.0 (0.5–5.0) |
Pain at insertion (0 = none, 10 = max)b | 69 | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 44 | 3.0 (1.0–4.0) | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) |
Device size (gauge): | 69 | Â | 50 | Â | Â |
 22 |  | 46 (67) |  | 25 (50) | 71 (60) |
 20 |  | 21 (30) |  | 19 (38) | 40 (34) |
 Other |  | 2 (3) |  | 2 (4) | 4 (3) |
 Not documented |  | 0 (0) |  | 4 (8) | 4 (3) |
Reason for choosing sizec: | 69 | Â | 11 | Â | Â |
 Clinician preference |  | 41 (59) |  | 10 (90) | 51 (64) |
 Patient has limited vein size |  | 33 (48) |  | 2 (18) | 35 (44) |
 Other |  | 13 (19) |  | 1 (9) | 14 (18) |
IV placement: | 69 | Â | 50 | Â | Â |
 Cephalic |  | 31 (45) |  | 20 (40) | 51 (43) |
 Medial antebrachial |  | 16 (23) |  | 3 (6) | 19 (16) |
 Accessory cephalic |  | 10 (14) |  | 3 (6) | 13 (11) |
 Metacarpal |  | 3 (4) |  | 10 (20) | 13 (11) |
 Other |  | 9 (13) |  | 14 (28) | 23 (19) |
IV location: | 69 | Â | 50 | Â | Â |
 Posterior lower forearm |  | 26 (38) |  | 13 (26) | 39 (33) |
 Upper anterior forearm |  | 22 (32) |  | 4 (8) | 26 (22) |
 Wrist |  | 14 (20) |  | 9 (18) | 23 (19) |
 Hand |  | 3 (4) |  | 14 (28) | 17 (14) |
 Other |  | 4 (6) |  | 10 (20) | 14 (12) |
Side of insertion: right | 69 | 38 (55) | 50 | 23 (46) | 61 (51) |
Skin hair prior to insertion: | 69 | Â | 50 | Â | Â |
 None present |  | 31 (45) |  | 31 (62) | 62 (52) |
 Clipped |  | 38 (55) |  | 3 (6) | 41 (34) |
 Unclipped |  | 0 (0) |  | 16 (32) | 16 (13) |