Abstract
Background:
The Veterinary Nurses for Companion Animals Act came into force in 2022. As part of their expanded roles, qualified VNCAs are now able to perform intravenous (IV) catheter placement under the supervision of a veterinarian. Lectures and practical training on IV catheter placement in dogs and cats have become mandatory in veterinary nursing education in Japan. Previous studies conducted overseas have reported success rates of IV catheter placement by veterinary students in live animals; however, there are no such reports in Japan.

Aim:
This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of educational policies on IV catheter placement in Japan.

Methods:
In our department, practical training in venous catheter placement was performed using animal models. The students first practiced venous catheter placement using a non-invasive practice kit and then performed the procedure on actual animals. From a cohort of 60 eligible students, 22 were randomly selected to perform IV catheter placement in live dogs. Seven Beagles and one Golden Retriever, maintained by the department, were used for practical training. Each student had one opportunity to successfully insert the catheter and was allowed up to three attempts on the same animal, and the session ended after successful placement or three consecutive failed attempts.

Results:
The success rates of the first, second, and third attempts were 36% (8 students), 45% (10 students), and 9% (2 students), respectively. The overall success rate of the three attempts was 91% (20 students). Additionally, 20% (4 times) of the 20 failures were for “vein localization,” 45% (9 times) for “insertion of the inner needle,” 30% (6 attempts) for “insertion of the outer tube,” and 5% (1 time) for “securing the catheter with tape.”

Conclusion:
This study determined the success rate of catheter placement in animals by veterinary nursing students. This study identified the points at which beginners are likely to make mistakes when placing an IV catheter. In the future, we aim to use the findings of this study to develop improved educational methods that will enable students to practice skills that cannot be covered by practice kits alone.

Key words: Intravenous catheter placement; Small animal hospital; Veterinary nurse.