THE CONTENT
Chapter 6
Safe administration of intravenous fluids and medicines
Learning outcomes
At the end of this chapter, the practitioner will be able to:
Understand the different methods of delivering intraveno
...
THE CONTENT
Chapter 6
Safe administration of intravenous fluids and medicines
Learning outcomes
At the end of this chapter, the practitioner will be able to:
Understand the different methods of delivering intravenous fluids and/or medication
Select the appropriate equipment needed to safely administer intravenous fluid
Understand the step-by-step process in relation to the safe administration of intravenous fluid
Select the appropriate equipment needed to prepare intravenous medication
Understand the step-by-step process in relation to the safe administration of intravenous medication
Demonstrate how to provide appropriate patient monitoring and aftercare.
Identify a commonly used IV medication that is used in your clinical area. Study the medication in detail – think about how it is mixed, what diluent is used, and the method of administration. Next, identify the side effects of the medication, and consider the effects it may have on the patient’s vein. You may find it useful to create a ‘drug diary’ to list the common IV medications used within your clinical area.
Preparing the patient for administration of IV fluid or medication
Preparing equipment for administration of IV fluid or medication
Administering IV fluid via a continuous infusion (without adding a medicine)
If 1 litre (1L) 5% glucose is prescribed and to be administered over 8 hours, using a standard giving set delivering 20 drops per mL, what would the infusion rate be in drops per minute?
If 500mL sodium chloride is prescribed and to be administered over 2 hours, using a standard giving set delivering 20 drops per mL, what would the infusion rate be in drops per minute?
If 1 litre (1L) 5% glucose is prescribed and to be administered over 6 hours, using a standard giving set delivering 20 drops per mL, what would the infusion rate be in drops per minute?
Preparing injectable intravenous medicines
Think about the safety features your healthcare provider has introduced to reduce the risk of mistakes in prescribing, preparing or administering IV therapy. (For instance, do you use ready-to-use preparations, needle-free systems, etc.) Identify whether these policies have made any difference to improving practice, and reducing clinical incidents.
Withdrawing a solution or suspension from a vial into a syringe
Reconstituting powder from a vial and drawing the resulting suspension or solution into a syringe
Adding a prepared medicine to infusion fluid
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