Compliance
Guidelines for the Prevention of Intravascular Catheter-Related Infections
August 9, 2002 / 51(RR10);1-26
The 2002 CDC Guidelines state that hospitals should “Leave peripheral venous catheters in place in children until IV therapy is complete, unless complications occur.”
In adult patients, if sites for venous access are limited and no evidence of phlebitis is present, peripheral venous catheters can be left in place for longer than 72-96 hours, although the patient and the insertion sites should be closely monitored.