How long can a peripheral IV catheter remain in place with proper care?

According to CDC guidelines, peripheral IV catheters may be kept in place for up to 96 hours in adults with proper care and maintenance. In pediatric patients, catheters may remain longer until the line is no longer patent or demonstrates complications. Routine rotation every 96 hours is not indicated in children due to increased anxiety from needle sticks.

What signs indicate a peripheral IV site has complications and needs discontinuation?

Signs of IV complications include redness, swelling, bruising, increased temperature, bogginess, tenderness, or pain at the insertion site. Leaking or swelling during flushing, difficulty injecting fluid, or patient-reported pain also indicate the site is no longer appropriate. When complications are detected, discontinuing intravenous fluids and a peripheral intravenous line is necessary and the primary care provider must be notified.

What is the proper technique for cleansing a needleless injection site before flushing?

Open an alcohol wipe and hold the needleless injection site with your non-dominant hand. Wrap the alcohol wipe around the site and scrub with friction and intent for 15 seconds, as if juicing an orange. Continue holding the site without contaminating it while it dries completely before attaching the saline syringe.

How do you assess a peripheral IV catheter dressing for proper condition?

Inspect the transparent catheter dressing to ensure it is clean, dry, and securely adhered to the skin around the insertion site. If the dressing is loose, wet, or soiled, change it using aseptic technique. A properly maintained dressing protects the insertion site and helps prevent infection and contamination.

What complications can regular IV assessment and flushing help prevent?

Regular assessment and flushing prevent infiltration, phlebitis, infection, extravasation, and catheter dislodgement. IV maintenance and flushing preserves line patency and reduces the risk of occlusion, thrombosis, and thrombophlebitis. Routine care ensures IV therapy can continue safely without interruption or patient harm.

What should be documented after assessing and flushing a peripheral IV line?

Document the date, time, location, and findings of the PIV assessment in the patient's electronic health record. Record the absence of redness, swelling, irritation, and confirm the dressing is clean, dry, and intact. If complications are present, document them specifically and notify the primary care provider immediately.

How do you prepare a normal saline flush syringe before attaching it to the IV line?

Open the saline flush syringe package and remove the cap, placing it upright on the counter. Turn the plunger to break the seal, then push gently while holding the syringe upright to expel air. Screw the cap back on carefully to maintain sterility, then place the syringe on the counter until ready to attach to the needleless port.

Assessing and Flushing a Peripheral Intravenous Line

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1. General procedure considerations (review in the room, with the patient).

As always, before the patient encounter, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. Use hand sanitizer, applying vigorous friction, if the hands are not visibly soiled.
At the bedside computer, review the patient's medical history and confirm that the patient continues to require IV access.
Review the maintenance IV fluid orders in the Medication Administration Record (MAR).
1. If the patient currently receives maintenance fluid via the IV line, confirm that the patient needs to continue the IV fluid therapy. This is accomplished by reviewing the patient's intake and output balance; assessing vital signs, skin turgor, and mucus membranes; and reviewing serum laboratory results.
Wash hands as described above (step 1.1) upon leaving the patient's room.

2. In the medication preparation area, obtain a 10-mL normal saline flush and alcohol wipes.

3. Assessing and flushing the patient's IV line. Upon first entering the patient's room, set the supplies down on the counter and wash your hands, as described in step 1.1.

Assess the peripheral IV insertion site.
1. Inspect the IV catheter insertion site for redness, swelling, or bruising. Redness can indicate irritation, inflammation, infection, or thrombus formation. Bruising may indicate that a hematoma has developed and may cause damage to surrounding tissues.
2. Assess the condition of the transparent catheter dressing. The dressing should be clean, dry, and adhere securely to the skin around the IV catheter insertion site. Loose, wet, or soiled dressings should be changed using aseptic technique.
3. Assess for tenderness and swelling.
  1. Gently palpate the area around the IV catheter insertion site and ask the patient if the area is tender or painful. Tenderness may indicate that the insertion site has become inflamed or infected.
  2. With one hand, gently palpate the area around the IV catheter insertion site and, with the other hand, simultaneously palpate the same area on the other limb. Compare both sides.
  3. As you are palpating, assess to the temperature (i.e., increased or decreased), skin texture (i.e., soft, boggy, or tight), and swelling (i.e., whether there are differences in size between the two limbs). Increased temperature may indicate inflammation or infection, while decreased temperature and bogginess may indicate infiltration. Both conditions indicate that the PIV must be discontinued.
Flush the PIV.
1. Before proceeding to the next step, wash your hands, as described in step 1.1, and put on clean gloves.
2. Prepare 0.9% saline flush.
  1. Open the package of a 0.9% saline syringe. Holding the syringe with your dominant hand, unscrew and remove the syringe cap with your non-dominant hand. Place the cap upright on a table/counter, taking care not to contaminate the end of the cap. Gently turn the plunger to break the seal.
  2. Holding the syringe upright with your non-dominant hand, gently push the plunger with your dominant hand to expel the air. Pick up the syringe cap with your dominant hand, taking care not to contaminate the end of the cap, and gently screw the cap onto the 0.9% saline syringe. Place the 0.9% syringe on the table.
3. Cleanse the PIV needleless injection site.
  1. Open an alcohol wipe pack and hold it with your dominant hand.
  2. Holding the PIV needleless injection site with your non-dominant hand, wrap the alcohol wipe around the PIV needleless injection site and scrub the site with friction and intent (i.e., as if you were juicing an orange) for at least 15 s. Allow the needleless injection site to dry while continuing to hold it with your non-dominant hand, taking care not touch the site.
Flush the catheter with normal saline.
1. While continuing to hold the PIV needleless injection site between the thumb and forefinger of your non-dominant hand, pick up the 0.9% saline syringe with the other hand, place the syringe cap between the middle and ring finger of your non-dominant hand, and unscrew the cap.
2. Attach the syringe to the needleless port by pushing gently to insert the tip of the syringe into the center portion of the needless injection site. Turn it clockwise.
3. Unclamp the PIV clamp by gently pushing the plastic clamp open. Holding the 0.9% saline syringe between the middle and forefinger of your dominant hand, use the thumb of your dominant hand to gently push the plunger to flush the PIV line.
4. While pushing the plunger, assess the PIV insertion site for leaking, swelling at the insertion site, and ease of administration. Ask the patient if he/she is experiencing any pain as the 0.9% saline is being pushed into the line. If any of these conditions occur, or if it is difficult to push the 0.9% saline fluid into the line, the IV site is no longer appropriate for use and should be replaced.
5. Continue to hold the needleless injection site between your forefinger and the thumb of your non-dominant hand and gently unscrew the 0.9% syringe from the needless injection port.
  Discard the used alcohol wipe and the 0.9% saline syringe in the garbage.

4. Document the peripheral IV site assessment in the patient's electronic health record.

In the patient's electronic health record, record the date, time, and location/site of peripheral IV site assessment. Record the assessment findings.
1. If the site is free of complications, document that the peripheral IV site is free of signs and symptoms of redness, swelling, and irritation. Document that the dressing is clean, dry, and intact, and that the peripheral IV line is patent and flushes easily.
2. If the site has complications, document the findings and patient responses. The peripheral IV line should be discontinued and replaced. The patient's primary care provider should be notified and appropriate actions taken to prevent further complications.

5. Leave the patient room and wash your hands upon exiting.