Like Driving A Car – IV Insertion
Activity #5 Mastery: Like Driving a Car
What Concept in your Discipline is Like Driving a Car?
Preparing for Intravenous (IV) Insertion – all ages, multiple sites, new supplies
In nursing, IV insertion can be challenging to learn, however, once mastered, it’s honestly like driving a car. What I mean by this is, regardless of how long you’ve been away from it, or if you’re practicing at a new facility with new supplies and/or caring for patients of all different ages, the major components of performing the procedure/skill remains still the same.
Before you start an IV, you have to collect and set up your supplies. When you are new at starting IVs, gathering your supplies, and knowing what to do with them can be challenging itself.
Major Components Required to Master IV Insertion Include:
- Developing & maintaining focus, confidence, and patience while performing IV insertion
- Utilizing best practice standards and informed decision-making prior to IV initiation
- Locating current policies & procedures/guidelines if unsure of facility protocols
- Collecting appropriate supplies (i.e., IV kit – a tourniquet, skin antiseptic, gauze, tape, tegaderm, sticker to label the IV with your initials, date, time, and gauge of IV needle, needle size, 10ml N/S flush & connector)
- Positioning the patient comfortably, selecting an appropriate vein, and applying the tourniquet
- Inserting the needle into the vein with the needle bevel (opening) facing up, at a 15–35-degree angle, and always in the direction of the heart. The more perpendicular the needle is to the injection site, the greater chance you have of sticking the needle through the vein instead of into it (ask for help if needed)
Completed by: Keisha Henry
September 20, 2023
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