[Peripheral venipuncture: evaluating the performance of nursing professionals].

This inferential comparative study aimed to evaluate the performance of nursing professionals during the execution of the peripheral venipuncture procedure with a view to verifying convergences and identifying risk factors that can predispose to the occurrence of complications. Data were collected through structured observation, by means of a checklist with 25 items. In order to evaluate the average number of correct performances in the three professional categories, the Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric statistical test was used with a 5% significance level. In those cases where a difference was found, multiple comparison tests were carried out. The sample consisted of 55 nursing professionals who were observed while performing the respective procedure three times every other day. An average of 78% of globally correct performances was found across the categories. However, the specific global average for each category corresponded to: 82% for nurses, 80% for nursing technicians and 77% for nursing auxiliaries. In relation to the 25 items of the venipuncture procedure, 10 presented significant errors, 4 of which presented p < 0.05. The data point out the need to intensify education activities that promote a change in nursing professionals' behavior, thus favoring a quality performance of the peripheral venipuncture procedure.