Site Selection & Preparation
To provide the patient with the most comfort and mobility, the nurse should ideally place the IV in this arm.
nondominant arm
This is the standard angle of insertion when performing venipuncture for a typical adult patient.
10 to 3o degrees
When priming the IV tubing, the drip chamber should be filled to this level.
one-third to one-half full
This complication is indicated by swelling, pallor, and skin that feels cool to the touch at the insertion site.
infiltration
Because older adults have more superficial veins, the nurse should reduce the angle of insertion to this many degrees.
5 to 15 degrees
When removing hair from a potential insertion site, the nurse should use scissors to clip rather than a razor to avoid these, which increase infection risk.
microabrasions
A nurse must never perform this action with a stylet after it has been loosened or removed, as it can cause a catheter embolism.
reinsert it into the catheter
These items should never be used to secure a catheter because they can obscure complications and impair circulation.
rolled bandages (with or without elastic properties)
This complication is characterized by pain, increased skin temperature, and erythema (redness) along the path of the vein.
phlebitis
This is the appropriate needle gauge range for performing venipuncture on neonates.
26- to 24-gauge
These three specific veins on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the arms are preferred for IV access in adults.
cephalic, basilic, or median veins
Once blood return is seen in the flashback chamber, the nurse should advance the catheter this much further into the vein before sliding it off the needle.
0.6 cm (1/4 inch)
Intravenous tubing administration sets can remain sterile and in use for up to this many hours.
96 hours
Crackles in the lungs, shortness of breath, and edema are clinical manifestations of this "unexpected outcome."
fluid volume excess
When accessing scalp veins in an infant, the nurse should aim the catheter in this direction so the flow follows venous return.
downward toward the heart
This area of the wrist should be avoided for IV insertion due to the high potential for nerve damage.
thumb side or palmar side
To minimize patient anxiety, the nurse should ideally have all equipment ready and the tubing primed at this time.
before entering the patient’s room
When labeling an IV bag, the nurse must write only on the label and not the plastic bag itself because of this concern.
ink permeating the plastic (and compromising the solution)
This is the minimum frequency for observing a standard IV site in an adult patient.
q4h
To stabilize "rolling" veins in an older adult, the nurse should pull the skin taut and anchor the vein using this finger.
thumb (of the nondominant hand)
If a vein is difficult to find, the nurse can foster distention by applying warmth, placing the extremity in a dependent position, or stroking the extremity in this direction.
distal to proximal
To ensure safety and prevent misconnections, IV lines should always be routed in this standardized direction.
toward the head
To confirm the patency of a vascular access device (VAD), the nurse should aspirate for blood return and flush the VAD with at least this size syringe.
5-mL syringe (filled with 0.9% sodium chloride
If an IV must be discontinued for a patient on anticoagulant therapy, the nurse should apply pressure to the site for this long.
5 to 10 minutes
For neonatal and pediatric patients, the IV site must be observed at this frequency.
hourly