This is a basic introduction to the intravenous cannulation for the beginners.

2. Intravenous
Cannulation
Sriyani Wijerathna
Registered Nursing Officer
BSc Nursing Under Graduate
IIHS
10/20/2018

3. What is called cannulation ?
 A technique in which a cannula is placed
inside a vein to provide venous access.
 Venous access allows sampling of blood,
as well as administration of fluids,
medications, parenteral nutrition,
chemotherapy, and blood products.

4. Advantages
 Immediate effect
 Control over the rate of administration
 Patient who cannot tolerate drugs / fluids
orally
 Some drugs cannot be absorbed by any
other route

5. What equipment do you need?
 Gloves
 Cleaning liquid
 Gauze swab
 IV cannula
 Tourniquet
 Dressing to secure cannula
 Saline flush and sterile syringe to be
administered

7. preperation
 Give explanation
 Gain consent
 Position the patient appropriately
 Identify the non-dominant hand / arm

8. Encourage venous filling by
 Correctly applying a tourniquet
 Opening & closing the fist
 Lowering the limb below the heart

9. Signs of a good vein ?
 Soft
 Refills when depressed
 Visible
 Has a large lumen
 Straight
 Easily palpable

10. Anatomy

11. Procedure
 Wash hands
 Remove the cannula from the packaging
 Apply tourniquet
 Identify vein
 Clean the site over the vein
 Allow to dry

12. Procedure Cont.
 Hold the cannula in your dominant hand
 Stretch the skin over the vein to anchor
the vein
 Do not re palpate the vein
 Insert the needle (bevel side up) at an
angle of10-30o to the skin
 Observe for blood in the flashback
chamber

14. Procedure Cont.
 Lower the cannula slightly to ensure it
enters the lumen
 Gently advance the cannula over the
needle while withdrawing the guide
 Release the tourniquet
 Apply gentle pressure over the vein &
remove the needle from the cannula

15. Procedure Cont.
 Remove the white cap from the needle &
attach to the cannula
 Secure the cannula with an appropriate
dressing
 Flush the cannula with 2-5 ml 0.9% Sodium
Chloride or attach an IV giving set and fluid

16. Finally
 Thank the patient
 Document the procedure including
Date & time
Review date
 Clean up, dispose of rubbish

17. Possible Complications
 Cellulites
 Infiltration
 Thrombophlebitis

18. Possible Complications Cont.
 Extravasation
 Bruising
 Air embolism
 Haematoma

19. References
 Royal College of Nursing
 https://www.rcn.org.uk/publications/
 Medscape, Intravenous cannulation
 https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/

20. Questions ???