Needleless connectors for IV catheters.

OVERVIEW: Needleless devices for connecting IV catheters, administration sets, and syringes were introduced in the early 1990s for the purpose of reducing the risk of needlestick injuries among health care providers. Although needleless connectors serve that purpose, their use has been associated with an increase in such complications as catheter-related bloodstream infection and catheter lumen occlusion. Complications may be related to design characteristics, user knowledge deficits, poor practices, or some combination thereof. The author describes the connectors in current use, how they differ in design and function, the potential complications associated with various models and practices, and the nursing interventions that can reduce the risk of these complications.