Evaluating Near-Infrared Huddles for Neonatal IV Access: What Did We Learn?

Securing reliable vascular access in neonates is complex and often challenging. A recent pre-post intervention study examined whether incorporating near-infrared (NIR) huddles—a structured team discussion using infrared imaging—could improve first-attempt PIVC insertion success in neonates.

Study Overview
Conducted over five months at a neonatal unit in Australia, this study reviewed data from 248 neonates and 370 cannulations across three phases: baseline, education, and intervention. The intervention phase introduced a "NIR-informed huddle" to guide site selection and plan the number of attempts.

Key Findings

• First-attempt success did not improve significantly during the intervention phase compared to baseline.
• PIVC dwell time and documentation quality improved, suggesting indirect benefits of structured planning.
• Forearm insertion sites had higher failure rates compared to hand or wrist.
• Staff found the huddle process more acceptable (7.5/10) than the NIR device itself (5.0/10), citing mixed usefulness.

Conclusion
While the NIR-informed huddle did not significantly improve first-attempt IV success in neonates, it enhanced other aspects of care, such as planning, documentation, and dwell time. These findings support the value of structured team approaches, though more evidence is needed to validate the use of NIR devices in neonatal vascular access.

Read more: https://journals.lww.com/jpnnjournal/abstract/9900/near_infrared_informed_huddle_for_neonatal.84.aspx 

Authors: Deanne August, Nicole Marsh, Stephanie Hall, Ruth Royle, Linda Cobbald, Pieter Koorts, Linda McLaughlin, Gillian Lack, Danika Iminof, Katie Foxcroft, Robert S. Ware, Amanda Ullman