IV Week 1

Fluids that contain solutes such as electrolytes or dextrose that readily dissolve in a solvent such as water and can diffuse through cell membranes

-Osmolality: hypotonic, isotonic, or hypertonic
-Tonicity: the ability to make water move in or out of cells via osmosis

Examples: 0.45% sodium chloride
-Less than 250 mOsm/L
-Extracellular fluid has fewer solutes than fluid in cells; water moves from extracellular space into cells

-Treats hypernatremia and diabetic ketoacidosis
-Monitor for hypotension
-Contraindicated in clients with burns, liver disease, increased intracranial pressure, and trauma

Examples: 3% sodium chloride, dextrose 10% in water
-Greater than 375 mOsm/L
-Extracellular fluid has more solutes than within the cells; water leaves the cells and interstitial fluid moves into the plasma

Examples: 0.9% sodium chloride
-250-375 mOsm/L
-No movement of water between extracellular and intracellular fluids, as osmolarity is the same

-Often referred to as plasma or volume expanders
-Contain large molecules that are too large to pass through the semi-permeable membrane that forms the capillary walls. As a result, they remain in circulating volume

Signs of hypervolemia such as hypertension, jugular venous distention, edema, dyspnea, and adventitious breath sounds

Intravenous lines that are inserted into large veins (for example, internal jugular, subclavian, femoral, brachiocephalic)

-Every 96 hours or according to facility policy for continuous infusions
-Every 24 hours for intermittent infusions
-Should be changed immediately if contamination is suspected or the integrity of the closed system has been disrupted

Ranges from 14 gauge to 24 gauge, with the catheter becoming narrower as the number increases

Inserted into the peripheral veins of the upper extremities, usually the median cubita, cephalic, basilic, or brachial vein, with the tip of the catheter located in the superior or inferior vena cava

-Phlebitis
-Circulatory overload
-Infiltration
-Extravasation
-Air embolism
-Infection

Inflammation of the inner lining of the vein that can be caused by cannula movement, inadequate dressing, speed of fluid infusion, type of medication infused, length of therapy, failure to follow aseptic technique, or administration of a contaminated solution

-Pain at, surrounding, or proximal to the insertion site
-Swelling
-Erythema
-Fever
-Presence of a palpable cord along the vein

An intravenous fluid that is damaging to the surrounding tissue outside the vein

A complication caused by infusion of excessive amounts of crystalloid fluids or blood products, or infusion that occurs too quickly

-Tachycardia, increases in blood pressure, client weight and/or central venous pressure, jugular vein distention, edema, cough, tachypnea, crackles in the lungs, decreased oxygen saturation, pallor, or cyanosis
-If not addressed, it can result in pulmonary edema, heart failure, shock, or cardiac arrest

When medications or fluids move from the vein into the surrounding tissue.
-Infiltration involves nonvesicant fluid
-Extravasation involves inadvertent administration of a vesicant fluid into the tissues surrounding the vein

Coolness of the skin surrounding the IV site; leaking of fluid from the area of cannulation; localized edema; pallor and delayed capillary refill; client reports of pain, burning, or discomfort at the site; and changes in the quality of the infusion rate

The obstruction of a vessel by air

Abrupt onset of difficulty breathing, cough, wheezing, low blood pressure, tachycardia, and chest or shoulder pain

To replace fluid losses (usually extracellular losses) and to expand the intravascular volume

Commonly infused to dilute extracellular fluid and rehydrate the cells of clients who have hypertonic fluid imbalances and to treat gastric fluid loss and dehydration from excessive diuresis

Used to treat clients who have severe hyponatremia
*some can be extremely irritating to veins and may only be infused through a central line