An Innovative Taping Technique for Improved Intravenous (IV) Catheter Securement

March 26, 2026 updated by: Pete Kovatsis, Boston Children's Hospital
This is a prospective, single-blinded, randomized study to assess the ability of taping methods used to secure intravenous (IV) catheters to resist the IV from being pulled away from the skin. Participants will have IV catheters taped on top of the skin (without insertion into the skin) using three taping methods, BCH Emergency Department (BCH ED), Chevron, and our novel method. Six measurements will be obtained per subject (3 random taping methods measuring their resistance to force in two directions, retrograde direction or towards the wrist and 90-degree angle to the arm).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Accidental removal of IV catheters delay patient care and can cause additional medical anxiety and pain that is heightened in the pediatric population. Moreover, such failed catheters create an increased burden economically and emotionally to patients, hospitals, and clinicians. To facilitate the most accurate, consistent results, a calibrated hand wheel test stand with a force gauge will be used to obtain force measurements. We will obtain the amount of force is required to remove the IV catheter form the skin of the subjects to compare the three taping measurements in two different directions. The retrograde direction will be pulling the IV distally from the IV site, towards the participant's wrist. The 90-degree angle will be pulling the IV medially away from the IV site.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
32

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02115
        • Boston Children's Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Employees of Boston Children's Hospital

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals under the direct supervision of any study investigators
  • Individuals with excessive hair in/near the antecubital fossa region on either arm
  • Individuals with fragile and/or non-intact skin in/near the antecubital fossa region
  • Individuals who have adhesive allergies
  • Individuals who have already participated

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Retrograde Directional Test
Subjects during the Retrograde Directional Test will have the three taping methods placed on their left and/or right antecubital fossa region to superficially secure an IV catheter (i.e., the catheter will be placed on top of the participant's skin and not in the vein but will be taped as if the catheter was placed intravenously). Six total measurements will be obtained of which three will be using the Retrograde Directional Test (i.e., each taping method will undergo testing for each directional method). The order of placing the different taping methods and the direction testing will be randomized.
Device: Novel Taping Method
Subjects will be asked to have the novel taping method placed on their left and right antecubital fossa region, superficially taping an IV catheter.
Device: BCH Emergency Department Taping Method
Subjects will be asked to have the BCH emergency department taping method placed on their left and right antecubital fossa region, superficially taping an IV catheter.
Device: Chevron Taping Method
Subjects will be asked to have the Chevron taping method placed on their left and right antecubital fossa region, superficially taping an IV catheter.
Active Comparator: 90 Degrees Directional Test
Subjects during the 90 Degrees Directional Test will have the three taping methods placed on their left and right antecubital fossa region, superficially taping an IV catheter (i.e., the catheter will be placed on top of the participant's skin and not in the vein but will be taped as if the catheter was placed intravenously). Six total measurements will be obtained of which three will be using the 90 Degrees Directional Test (i.e., each taping method will undergo testing for each directional method). The order of placing the different taping methods and the direction testing will be randomized.
Device: Novel Taping Method
Subjects will be asked to have the novel taping method placed on their left and right antecubital fossa region, superficially taping an IV catheter.
Device: BCH Emergency Department Taping Method
Subjects will be asked to have the BCH emergency department taping method placed on their left and right antecubital fossa region, superficially taping an IV catheter.
Device: Chevron Taping Method
Subjects will be asked to have the Chevron taping method placed on their left and right antecubital fossa region, superficially taping an IV catheter.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The Force (Newtons) Required to Dislodge an IV Catheter Secured in the Retrograde Direction.
Time Frame: Until the tape is dislodged- approximately 15 seconds
We will examine the maximum force the taping methods can withstand as measured by the force gauge in the retrograde direction, distally from the insertion site.
Until the tape is dislodged- approximately 15 seconds
The Force (Newtons) Required to Dislodge an IV Catheter Secured in a 90 Degrees Direction.
Time Frame: Until the tape is dislodged- approximately 15 seconds
We will examine the maximum force the taping methods can withstand as measured by the force gauge in a 90 degrees direction, medially from the insertion site.
Until the tape is dislodged- approximately 15 seconds

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Boston Children's Hospital

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Pete Kovatsis, MD, Boston Children's Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
July 28, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 9, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 9, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 28, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 10, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 17, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 15, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 26, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IRB-P00043126

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

The data is not publicly available due to patient privacy concerns. Data can be made available upon reasonable request and after ethical/data sharing agreements are met.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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