Peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion is a routine procedure in emergency departments (EDs), yet current practice often deviates from evidence-based standards. Research highlights key issues, including unnecessary (idle) catheter insertion, overuse of antecubital fossa (ACF) sites, and limited patient involvement in decision-making. These gaps can lead to avoidable patient harm, reduced comfort, and inefficient use of resources. This intermediate-level session will provide an evidence-informed overview of these challenges and the factors driving them. In this session, we will examine the evidence–practice gap in ED PIVC care and identify practical, patient-centered strategies to improve clinical decision-making and outcomes.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, learners will be able to: 
• Analyze the current gaps between evidence-based guidelines and real-world PIVC practices in emergency departments 
• Evaluate the clinical, behavioral, and system-level factors contributing to suboptimal practices, including ACF insertion and idle catheter use
• Apply evidence-based and patient-centered strategies to improve PIVC decision-making, insertion, and care in the ED setting

CRNI® RUs: This session has been approved for 2 CRNI® recertification units and meets the non INS Meeting criteria.

Contact Hours: This session has been approved for 1 contact hour

Expiration date for receipt of contact hours: May 27, 2029

To receive contact hours for this educational activity, you are required to attend the entire educational activity and complete the evaluation.

The Infusion Nurses Society is approved as a provider of continuing nursing education by the California Board of Registered Nursing, provider #CEP14209. The certificate must be retained by the attendee for a period of 4 years.