3. Intravenous simply is defined as ‘within a Vein’.
Intravenous therapy therefore the administration
of an infusion of liquid substances directly into a
vein.
It provides a speedy and effective method of
delivering medication, fluids, parenteral nutrition
and blood products.
It can be intermittent or continuous
4. Steps to take before carrying out an IV Therapy
Educate patient on the procedure, purpose,
possible discomfort and potential risks.
Gather all necessary equipment
Assess veins for size, straightness and ease of
access.
5. Uses of IV Therapy
To correct electrolyte imbalance
To deliver medications
For blood transfusions
As replacement therapy in cases of dehydration
6. Common Vein sites
Back of the hand
Arm
Foot
Scalp
Femoral
jugular
7. Nursing assessment/ observation to be made
during intravenous therapy
Monitor the patient closely for any acute weight
gain or loss
Keep an accurate record of all intake and output
Assess for any signs of oedema
Auscultate the lung sounds (crackles may be
heard for fluid volume overload)
Notify the doctor if urine output is less than
30mls within 2hours
Examine the site for swelling, dislodgement of
cannula, extravasation (infiltration) of leakages.
8. Nursing assessment/ observation to be made
during intravenous therapy cont.
Observe for any discomfort
Observe the drip chamber and ensure that it is
not empty
Observe the flow rate frequently
Observe for signs of over- infusion such as
dyspnoea, cough and enlargement of cervical
veins. (What will you do if you observe these?)
9. Commonly used intravenous solutions
Hypertonic solution
- 5% dextrose in R/L
- 5% Dextrose in N/S
- 5% Dextrose in 0.45% N/S
Have higher osmotic pressure, thus pulls or draws
fluid out of the cell into the extracellular space
thereby increasing intravascular volume.
10. Commonly used intravenous solutions
Hypotonic solution
- 0.45% N/S
- 0.33% N/S
Pushes fluid from the vascular space into the cells
because they have lower osmotic pressure.
11. Commonly used intravenous solutions
Isotonic solution
- Ringers Lactate
- 5% Dextrose in water
- Normal saline (0.9% NaCl)
Have same osmotic pressure as that found in cells
hence fluid moves equally between all
compartments.
12. Commonly used intravenous solutions
Other solutions include:
- 5:4:1 commonly used for Cholera patients
- Badoe’s solution
13. Calculating the flow rate of an infusion
Flow rate = volume of solution(mls) x drop factor
duration of infusion(mins)
(try some questions in scenarios)
19. The 10 Rights of Drug Administration
- Right medication
- Right client
- Right dose
- Right time
- Right route
- Right client education
- Right documentation
- Right to refuse
- Right assessment
- Right evaluation
20. Types of Intravenous Fluids
Crystalloids
They are aqueous solutions of mineral salts or water
soluble molecules commonly used for rehydration
and electrolyte replacement.
Eg. N/S, R/L, Dextrose Saline
21. Types of Intravenous Fluids cont.
Colloids
They are large insoluble molecules are used to
replace lost blood, maintain healthy blood pressure
and volume expansion.
Eg. Haemacel, Dextran, hetastarch, Blood etc.
26. BLOOD TRANSFUSION
Is the intravenous administration of whole or
component of blood into direct circulation to
restore blood volume, increase haemoglobin
levels or combat shock
The transfer of blood or blood products from one
person (donor) into another person’s blood
stream (recipient).
29. Indications of blood transfusion
To increase blood volume after surgery,
haemorrhage or trauma
To provide clotting factors (in plasma) for
patients with DIC, haemophilia etc.
To increase the number of RBC’s in clients with
anaemia
30. Indications of blood transfusion cont.
To provide platelets to patients with low platelet
count, especially those on chemotherapy
To replace lost plasma proteins in severe burns
31. DISCUSS BLOOD GROUPINGS AND
WHO CAN DONATE TO WHO
• (A, B, AB, O)
• Rhesus + , -
• Universal donor and recipient
32.
33. Forms of blood transfused include:
Platelets
Fresh frozen plasma
Whole blood
Packed cells
35. Nurses responsibilities for safe blood transfusion
Explain procedure and obtain informed consent
Never order a blood to be transfused to patient
Two nurses are required to crosscheck blood for
the right patient, correct blood type, expiry date.
(they must both sign their names in the nurses notes)
Check patency of IV line
Check patient’s vital sign and observe any
anomalies.
36.
37.
38. Nurses responsibilities for safe blood transfusion
Administer pre medication if prescribed
Offer bed pan or urinal bowl before
commencement of blood transfusion.
39.
40. Nurses responsibilities during blood transfusion
Check vital signs 15minutes after the
commencement of transfusion, after 30 minutes,
then hourly till transfusion is completed.
Monitor the flow rate
Observe for signs of transfusion reaction such as
urticaria rash, elevated temperature, shivering
etc. (what will the nurse the nurse when he/she observes this?)
41. Nurses responsibilities during blood transfusion
Observe for signs of circulatory overload
Monitor urine output and report any
abnormalities.
42. Nurses responsibilities After blood transfusion
Clip the roller clamp off and flush the
intravenous line with N/S.
Make patient comfortable in bed
Discard trolley and used transfusion set
appropriately.
Document procedure (what does the nurse write?)
Monitor vital signs one hour after completion to
detect delayed transfusion reactions.
43. Complications of blood transfusion
Infection usually with fever
Embolism
Circulatory overload
Hyperthermia
Coagulopathy
Urticaria rash
Pulmonary oedema characterised by dyspnoea
Hepatitis B
HIV
Shock