Abstract
There is evidence that the risk of complications caused by short peripheral catheters (SPCs) does not increase when SPCs are replaced due to clinical indication versus at a specific time frame. In the studies, however, the dwell time does not typically exceed an average of 3.5 days. It is uncertain how long SPCs may stay in place before there is an increased risk for complications or if there is an increased risk. This systematic review was conducted to explore the current state of the science regarding SPC dwell time as a predictor of SPC complications in adult inpatients.