Value of a specialist nurse training base assistance model in improving the safe application of peripheral intravenous catheters in rural primary hospitals

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a specialist nurse training base assistance model in improving compliance and safety of peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) application in rural primary hospitals. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted across 16 secondary and tertiary hospitals in a mountainous region of Guangdong Province, China, from January 2024 to March 2026. The intervention integrated an outreach (“sending down”) and mentoring (“inviting up”) model led by specialist nurse training bases. Cross-sectional audits were performed at five time points to assess compliance with 15 PIVC operational standards. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 22.0. Results: A total of 339 department-level audits were completed. The mean compliance rate increased significantly from 69.49 ± 17.29% at baseline to 82.19 ± 8.91% at the final assessment ( p < 0.001). Significant differences were observed across the five time points ( H = 23.276, p < 0.001). Improvements were noted in supplies preparation (64.2%–91.3%), puncture site selection (68.1%–95.7%), disinfection compliance (38.6%–73.9%), and documentation (83.3%–95.7%). PIVC utilization increased from 88.9% to 96.4%. Conclusion: The specialist nurse training base assistance model significantly enhances PIVC compliance and safety in rural hospitals, offering a scalable strategy for nursing quality improvement in resource-limited settings.