Enhancing IV Cannulation Documentation in a Resource-Limited Setting: A Quality Improvement Project From Dongola Specialized Hospital

TL;DR

This study improved IV cannulation documentation at a hospital in Dongola by introducing a standardized sticker and staff training, leading to better patient care and safety.

Contribution

A low-cost, sustainable solution for improving IV cannulation documentation in resource-limited hospitals.

Findings

Baseline compliance for IV cannulation documentation was very low, with most parameters documented in ≤2% of records.

After the intervention, documentation compliance improved significantly across all fields, with some reaching 100%.

The intervention was effective and sustainable, showing marked improvements in removal details and VIP scoring.

Abstract

Background: Incomplete documentation of intravenous (IV) cannulation is a persistent challenge in hospital practice, leading to gaps in continuity of care and increased risk of complications.

Objective: This quality improvement project aimed to evaluate and enhance the completeness of IV cannula documentation at Dongola Specialized Hospital through the introduction of a standardized documentation sticker and focused staff training.

Methods: A prospective two-cycle audit was conducted between June and September 2025 using the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework. Fifty inpatient records were reviewed in each cycle from the Internal Medicine Department. Documentation was assessed against international standards for IV cannulation, including patient identifiers, insertion details, aseptic technique, site monitoring, and removal data. A structured IV cannula sticker and brief educational sessions were introduced between cycles. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test, with a significance level of p < 0.05.

Results: Baseline compliance was poor, with most parameters documented in ≤2% of records. Following the intervention, substantial improvement was observed across all fields: cannula gauge (2%→100%), indication (2%→96%), aseptic technique (2%→86%), and inserter’s name (2%→92%) (p < 0.001 for all). The documentation of removal details and Visual Infusion Phlebitis (VIP) scoring also improved markedly (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The introduction of a structured, low-cost documentation sticker, reinforced by staff education, resulted in significant improvement in IV cannula documentation quality. This simple and sustainable intervention can strengthen patient safety and procedural accountability in resource-limited hospital settings.

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