How to Insert an IV

Introducing an intravenous insertion is an art a licensed health care dispenser ought to have mastered. Complying with the standing instructions of the local health care, one may not dispense an IV insertion unless he’s in receipt of an IV therapy license.

Those concerned with the institution of health care would find the process instructions, appended below to their great benefit:

Equipment

• Tape
• IV bag
• Gloves
• Tourniquet
• Betadine solution / alcohol swab
  or for cleaning the injection site.

Hand-washing

This is a universally accepted precaution and therefore must be adhered to.

Priming the IV Line

• Strip off the equipment from its packing.
• Open the tubing set and the IV bag.
• Watch that the regulating clamp keeps closed.
• Hang-hold the IV bag with upside pointing downward. The site to be connected with the tubing must be directed upward.
• Now penetrate the needle edge of the tubing into the IV pouch.
• Raise the bag to ensure that the site of insertion rests squarely at the bottom.
• Hook the IV pouch to the pole meant for it.
• Press-release the drip chamber to allow the fluid percolate in the halfway.
• Adjust the clamp to max and let a little quantity of fluid ooze out to ensure the release of trapped air.
• The clamp may be closed when primed.

Preparation

• Arrange the apparatus by the bed side of the patient bed.
• Elicit the utility and the end use of IV line.
• Watch that the catheter is in good condition. Avoid using an unsealed pack for it may have acquired contamination.
• Put on gloves.

Skin Preparation:

• Work out the site of IV insertion.
• Fix a tourniquet across the area distal to the insertion site.
• Trace out the site of inoculation.
• With the help of an alcoholic swab clean up the inoculation point; the swab may be dipped from betadine solution on any appropriate cleaning agent.
• With circular motion originating from the interior through exterior.

Inserting the IV

• Pull the skin with non-dominant hand (usually left) to make your veins prominent.
• Now prick the inoculation site maintaining an up-level.
• Reduce the angle of elevation with a gradual syringe insertion.
• Make sure there’s no back flow.
• Having spotted the blood for the first time, penetrate the needle one more centimeter deep.
• Using your non-dominant hand put a gentle pressure over the insertion point and cautiously withdraw the needle.
• Put the catheter into place cautiously. Watch that the tubing connection doesn’t set covered.
• Withdraw the tourniquet.
• Dispose of the needle proper — they mustn’t be primed again.

About the IV Connection

• Thrust the tubing into the port.
• It must be secured with the lock.
• Release the regulating clamp.
• In case there is no specific instruction for the rate of flow, adjust it on KVO, i.e. 10-12 gtts / min. Keeping in view the institutional policy you may, however, alter the rate of flow.
• Record the process, rate and the initial condition of the patient.

Adhering to the prescribed procedure is important while you proceed with IV-insertion to avoid complication that may arise out of the failure of an intravenous injection. Keep monitoring the condition of the patient while you proceed with the insertion both before and after.