Heparin solution for maintaining peripheral venous catheter patency in children: a survey of current practice in Italian pediatric units.

Background: Prolonging the duration of peripheral venous catheters (PVC) as long as possible in children is a nursing priority. However, available studies provide conflicting evidence on what kind of flush/lock solution should be used to increase the life of PVCs in children.

Objectives: To describe the clinical behavior of nurses working in Italian pediatric units with regards to PVCs flushing and locking practices.