Hyaluronidase for treatment of intravenous extravasations: implementation of an evidence-based guideline in a pediatric population

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the implementation and evaluation of an evidence-based guideline, Hyaluronidase for Treatment of IV Extravasations, in a pediatric population.

Conclusions: Evidence of hyaluronidase efficacy suggests that timely administration will decrease the severity of tissue damage caused by extravasations, and result in cost savings. Implementation of this guideline increased user knowledge, incident reporting, and initiation of treatment, and decreased the average time to treatment administration.

Practice implications: Implementation strategies facilitate integration and sustained use of evidence-based treatments in clinical practice. Processes that promote evidence-based treatment are expected to improve outcomes and are therefore an important component of evaluation.

Keywords: Evidence-based; extravasation; infiltration; intravenous therapy; pediatric.