Peripheral intravenous cannulation (PIVC) is a vital part of modern medicine, however the use of cannulas has become prolific, with many never used. The patient risks that are associated with PIVC are well documented, including pain and even infections, which can be severe and lead to death.

PIVCs which are inserted but never used (idle PIVC), have the risks and downsides, but no potential benefits. Reducing the rate of idle PIVC may reduce the overall rate of risks, side-effects and infections associated with PIVC, but it may also lead to patients who require PIVC not receiving one.

In this study, we are looking into the reasons why clinicians decide to insert a PIVC. We aim to describe: I) the proportion of PIVCs placed that do not get used within 24 hours (idle PIVCs), II) differences between the pre-hospital setting and the emergency department and III) describe which factors are associated with clinicians’ decision making regarding PIVC.