Nursing Responsibilities For IV Therapy

Our nurses are available around the clock to administer IV therapy. It is their responsibility to ensure that your infusion is safe, fast, and effective. 

How do they go about making magic happen? Peek behind the curtain to learn how their duties are performed as they work to help our customers feel better. 

Reset IV Nurses

All care is provided by trained and credentialed nurses. Our professional and highly skilled staff are devoted to the safety and comfort of every individual that they are assigned to. 

Placing and utilizing an IV is standard practice for nurses in all settings. The same medical guidelines and procedures are used, whether a nurse gives IV therapy in a hospital or a hotel.

Our wonderful team of nurses are:

  • Well credentialed; registered nurses or higher.
  • Extensively trained to provide IV therapy.
  • Safe, experienced professionals.
  • Part of a team of other healthcare workers, like physicians and nurse practitioners. 
  • Courteous, non-judgmental, and communicative. 

New environments are no problem. They’re trained to adapt and perform in changing surroundings while providing stellar care. 

Understanding more of the responsibilities of nurses can make it easier to feel comfortable receiving IV therapy.

Nursing Responsibilities for IV Therapy

To start, a custom IV therapy plan will be created by you and your nurse to meet your specific needs. After deciding on the additives needed, your personalized blend is formulated. 

Here are just a few of the other duties and responsibilities that Reset IV nurses have as they prepare, administer, and monitor you during treatment.

Calculating IV Rates 

Determining the rate of flow is an important step. Basic arithmetic allows the nurse to customize the flow of medicine from the IV bag. This rate is dependent on the size of the IV tubing and the time needed for your body to absorb the solution. 

Priming and Hanging a Primary IV Bag

IV bags are built to hang so that gravity can pull the fluids through an opening on the bottom of the bag. Tubing attaches to the port and carries the solution down and into the IV site. 

Getting the Primary bag ready includes:

  • Verifying that the solution is correct.
  • Puncturing the bag with the tubing.
  • Hanging the bag.
  • Priming the tubing by allowing the fluid to flow through so that there is no air in the line.
  • Setting the correct drip rate 

If two bags of fluids are needed, a secondary IV bag will also be used. You might hear your nurse call it piggybacking. 

Priming and Hanging a Secondary IV Bag

When two bags are needed, the second one is prepared just a little bit differently. Instead of flowing into its own line, a port is used to connect the two lines together. 

Your nurse will hang the secondary bag higher than the first and prime the line. That is done in the same way, by allowing fluid to come through the line. 

The shorter secondary line gets placed into the port onto the main, where it locks in place. Once the priming is complete, your nurse will get started on placing your IV. 

Peripheral IV Placement

Bypassing your stomach and delivering medicine directly into your bloodstream via a vein is why IV therapy is so effective. Our nurses are trained to do this as quickly and painlessly as possible. 

Steps to place an IV access site:

  • Place a flexible rubber band around the upper arm. This is called a tourniquet and aids in bringing the vein to the surface to make it easier to insert the IV.
  • Locate the best place to insert the IV. The most common places are the back of the hand and the inner arm.
  • Sterilize the chosen area, usually with a simple alcohol swab. Alcohol dries quickly and provides excellent protection against contamination. 
  • Insert the IV. A small needle will be placed into the vein and then retracted, leaving behind a flexible tube in the vein known as a catheter. 
  • Secure the catheter with tape or other dressing. 
  • Ensure the comfort of the placement.
  • Safely dispose of the materials that were used. 

With the access point placed, the nurse attaches the primed IV bag tubing to the port on the catheter. Comfortably seated, you can rest your eyes, watch television, or play on your phone. 

Average time for the bags to empty is about an hour, though many people report feeling better within minutes. During the therapy, the nurse will periodically check in to ensure that everything is going well.

Assessing an IV Site

You may notice that the nurse may gently assess the access site. This is simply to make sure that the fluids are flowing well and to check for any undue discomfort or irritation.

You’re there to feel better and our nurses are there to help make that happen. While checking the access site, your nurse will also talk with you about how you are feeling.

Monitoring the Effectiveness of IV Therapy

It is important to communicate with your nurse while they are doing their checks. They will need to know if treatment is working for you, or if you’re experiencing any problems. 

Monitoring will continue as treatment ends. With the IV bags empty, your nurse can do final checks and take the IV access out. 

Removing a Peripheral IV

Much like placement, removal should go smoothly. Tape or other dressings will be gently removed, along with the IV catheter. 

Gauze is held firmly over the access site for a moment to discourage any bleeding, and sterile dressing is applied. A few final checks are completed, and you’re all done!

IV therapy is safe and effective, and our nurses know their stuff. Patient care and safety is always number one, and they love making a difference in people’s lives.

Try IV Therapy Today!

Not all services are the same. At Reset IV, we pride ourselves on being the premier IV therapy provider in your area. Concierge service means easy access for you, and our nurses are on call 24/7 to manage your needs. 

Leaders in at home IV therapy care, Reset IV combines world-class service with personal attention. Your time is important, and our team has flexible options to maximize it.

Scheduling

You can schedule an appointment for IV therapy services ahead of time if you anticipate a need for it. Many people plan for the morning after a big night out, or to prepare for or recover from intense workouts like marathons. 

Flexibility helps to set us apart. Simple dehydration, illness, or other concerns can’t be scheduled, but they can be managed. Our exceptional staff can schedule same day IV therapy appointments for immediate needs.