Short-term use of IV devices is common -- and risky -- study shows

Short-term use of IV devices is common -- and risky -- study shows Many hospital patients get medicine or nutrition delivered straight into their bloodstream through a tiny device called a PICC. In just a decade, it's become the go-to device for intravenous care. But a new study finds that one in every four times a PICC gets inserted, the patient didn't need it long enough to justify the risks it can pose. And nearly one in ten of those patients suffered a complication linked to the device. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J