Where do you prefer an IV?

Nurses General Nursing

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This thought was triggered by the IV size discussion at https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/size-matters-iv-836846.html

If you are a patient, where would you prefer an IV to be placed? Personally, I can keep my arm straight if it's my off side, and I am not a fan of hand vein IVs for myself, so an AC for me please.

Specializes in Peds ED, Peds Stem Cell Transplant, Peds.
So glad I worked L&D first- best lesson learned? Go for the hand. I can get an 18g anywhere in the hand!

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

My veins suck, and I argued with an L&D nurse about using my hands, after 5 sticks and requesting she go for my lucky AC spot on my R arm, and her denying to go there because i might bend my arm. I finally requested another nurse, which case they had to call lifeline to start my IV and boom, he used my AC and got it.

AC may be bad for most, but if that is all someone has, then use it.

Specializes in Cardiopulmonary Stepdown/Cath Lab, ICU.

If it's in the AC or wrist, I try to place a new one right away if they are going to be on continuous fluids or frequent ATBs overnight because I know when that beeping starts during bedtime it's going to be a very unhappy camper.

I always prefer inner/outer forearm if they have halfway decent veins. Hand one's hurt and don't last much more than a day.

As stated before, sometimes hand or AC is all they got and that's where it stays.

Specializes in ER, progressive care.

Ideally in the forearm. I hate to go for the hands or wrist because it is more painful there. If I can't find anything anywhere else, then the AC it is.

On the Wrist... I dont like it in my hand or inner elbow as those area's bend and then the IV bend also. In the wrist is a great area!!

I've only had one IV and it was in my AC. I was afraid to even move the arm. Its a last resort for me because if we can't get one in the AC, we can't go further down the same arm.

I really like the inner wrist, by the thumb. That vein pops on a lot of people and it doesn't infiltrate a lot. Some people have great forearm veins though and I will attempt one if it pops out at me.

This spots hurts something terrible!

Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I HATE having an IV in the hand if it's going to be there for more than a few hours. For some reason they almost always put it in my dominant hand. It hurts to have it put in, is always in the way, and never fails to infiltrate within a day if they're running fluids. I do much better if the IV goes in one of the forearm veins. That's also where I was best at placing IVs when I was working acute care.....strange coincidence, no?

This thought was triggered by the IV size discussion at https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/size-matters-iv-836846.html

If you are a patient, where would you prefer an IV to be placed? Personally, I can keep my arm straight if it's my off side, and I am not a fan of hand vein IVs for myself, so an AC for me please.

IV rule: if you're the patient, they'll never, ever find that good vein in your 'off' side. :)

I have lousy veins and I know it, but most have luck with my forearm - and if they look too long, I'll actually request they get someone else, because I have a triangle of three white scars on my wrist/hand from IVs I had there many years ago. It didn't go well for me then, and I don't want to repeat the experience. :)

So if you get me as a patient, it's no offense - but please send me the best you have at the moment! :)

Specializes in Care Coordination, MDS, med-surg, Peds.

When I had my first child, the nurse put a butterfly-type IV in my index finger!! that was the oddest place i have ever had one. JMO--pregnant women generally have great, fluffy veins, eager for an IV!! Not sure why she went with the finger. I do have a nice vein there, but that would NOT be my vein of choice!

Best IV I ever had was in my upper arm, nondominant side. I think all the lower ones had crapped out, but this one lasted for days and days and was totally not in my way.

Specializes in Med-Surg.
I've only had one IV and it was in my AC. I was afraid to even move the arm. Its a last resort for me because if we can't get one in the AC, we can't go further down the same arm.

I really like the inner wrist, by the thumb. That vein pops on a lot of people and it doesn't infiltrate a lot. Some people have great forearm veins though and I will attempt one if it pops out at me.

Wow, you are sadistic to want to stick people on their wrist! Had one evil nurse do that to me, out of a sense of pride I suppose (didnt want to admit defeat but had already stuck 4 times). An 18G no less. Coulda decked her. Have never subjected a patient to that pain after!

On a patient, I prefer forearm. On myself, I am kinda a hard stick, hand works best.

I prefer the distal cephalic vein, median antebrachial vein, and the proximal cephalic vein in that order.

Specializes in Med-Surg Nursing.

In the forearm of my non-dominant hand! I had surgery in April and the student nurse-anesthetist who was a former colleague of mine when I worked at that hospital, DIDN"T EVEN ASK where I wanted my IV, he went right for my AC in my dominant arm. Luckily I didn't need fluids post-op.

Last year when I had a radical nephrectomy due to renal cell carcinoma, they put my IV in my Left forearm.

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