Objective: To determine the prevalence of difficult venous access in adult patients admitted to a surgical unit.
Method: This observational prospective cohort study included 235 patients from a Brazilian hospital. Clinical data were collected by direct observation and analyzed by descriptive, inferential statistics, and multiple binomial logistic regressions. Odds ratios were also calculated.
Results: Most of the patients (66.4%) were men and self-reported as white (59.2%). The prevalence of difficult intravenous access was 32.8%. Predictors of peripheral intravenous cannula insertion failure were history of difficult intravenous access and nonvisibility of the vein.
Conclusion: History of difficult intravenous access and a nonvisible venous network were significant predictors of peripheral cannula insertion failure in adults undergoing clinical surgery. The prevalence of difficult intravenous access was 32.8%.
Keywords: Peripheral catheterization; adult; catheters; hospitalization; nursing; patient safety.