IV Vita K

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

A while back, a nurse admin Vita K IV and within minutes the patient was sent to ICU. I cant remember what happened to her, but it was serious. Since then, I wont give it IV, but request an order for IM. Is anyone else leary of admin it IV? What are the adverse reactions for IV admin? Just wondering. Thanks.

[jmgrn65, RN]

Our Facility will no longer give IV for that very reason. Maybe a slow IVPB, but even then they don't like to give it. PO or an Injection.

[MikeyJ, RN]

I am suprised hospitals still allow K+ pushes.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I am suprised hospitals still allow K+ pushes.

OP stated Vitamin K, not K+ (potassium).

[Toph McGee]

Yeah that has happen in our hospital. Now its almost second nature if we ever have to give it (which is few and very far between) to have our hospitals resource nurse there who is a critical care nurse who had a good amount of experience in case of an anaphylactic reaction

[MikeyJ, RN]

OP stated Vitamin K, not K+ (potassium).

Oh.. my bad. :) Totally misread that post.

[patwil73]

vitamin k given iv or im can lead to:

severe reactions, including fatalities, have occurred during and immediately after intravenous and intramuscular injections of phytonadione. these severe reactions have resembled hypersensitivity or anaphylaxis, including shock and cardiac and/or respiratory arrest. limit the intravenous and intramuscular routes to those situations where the subcutaneous route is not feasible and the serious risk involved is considered justified . -- drugdex.

therefore it is usually best to give subq or oral. i don't believe i have ever given it iv.

hope this helps

pat

[miko014]

I'm not any more leery of it than I am of anything else I give IV. As stated, vitamin K is not potassium. Yes, it can have bad side effects, but so can lots of other things. When we give it, we run it as a really slow IVPB and watch the pt closely. True, I would prefer to give it PO, but when a pt comes in with an INR of 13-14, I have no problem giving it IV. Or I've had someone with an INR of 3 who needed a stat invasive procedure and needed the vit K IV stat. Again, slow IVPB, but still faster acting than PO.

[cookienay]

Actually, we recently had an inservice with a clinical pharmacist regarding Vitamin K. PO is actually the preferred route according the information she presented. She stated there is no evidence that SQ or IM is absorbed faster, and PO provides better absorption. Since then we almost always give it po even with REALLY high INRs.

[miko014]

Actually, we recently had an inservice with a clinical pharmacist regarding Vitamin K. PO is actually the preferred route according the information she presented. She stated there is no evidence that SQ or IM is absorbed faster, and PO provides better absorption. Since then we almost always give it po even with REALLY high INRs.

Interesting. I hadn't heard that. Thanks for the info!

[kstec, LPN]

Okay, this may sound like a stupid question, but why is an adult more likely to have a reaction from Vit. K than a newborn. All newborns are given it IM injection at birth, and I don't recall hearing anything negative about that. Or is it just Vit.K given IV that can cause problems? And if adults are having reactions IV, why not go IM or PO?