Catheters/ IV starts

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello, I am currently in Med-Surg I and loving it. I have started 4 IV's successfully during clinical rounds. I ordered some catheters so that I can practice at home. The problem is that I mistakenly order a winged catheter, which doesn't have the locking mechanism that blocks the blood from back-flowing out. DOES ANYONE KNOW THE NAME OF THAT MECHANISM OR SPECIFIC TYPE OF CATHETER? I didn't realize that they aren't all made that way, until I order the winged ones. I am in Charlotte, NC; I wonder if all the hospitals here use these new fangled catheters. Lord knows it made my first few IV starts a little less nerve racking.

I don't have rounds again until next weekend, and I wanted to order the correct ones TODAY :)

Please respond if you can help me with the brand name or keyword. Otherwise, I do understand how to block the blood from flowing out via site pressure, etc...

GRACIAS

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Specializes in ICU.

No, not all hospitals use the fancy IV catheters. Out of five hospitals I have started IVs at, one of those hospitals used the fancy IV catheters.

If you really want to practice, DON'T practice with the fancy ones. I learned on the fancy ones and was so used to that blood stopping feature that I struggled a bit when I first switched to regular IV catheters. You will learn better if you practice on the ones that are harder to use than if you just practice with the easier ones.

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You've ordered IV catheters to practice placing the catheter? If so, I'm not sure that this is a good idea. Who are you going to practice on? What are you going to do when someone develops a complication?

If it were me, I would not do this.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I hadn't thought that just anybody could go out and buy IV catheters, if that was the case every IV drug user would use those instead of individual injections.

The wings are both for holding while inserting, but probably more importantly they help stabilize the IV after placement. Many catheters these days have a permanent extension that comes as part of the IV, the advantage to these is that you're less likely to have blood leak out of the hub on insertion, which then leaves excellent bacteria food right around the insertion site, and connecting the tubing directly to the catheter hub should be avoided since to then change the tubing you have to do under the dressing, unnecessarily contaminating it.

What keeps the backflow from leaking out in catheters with extensions is an air filter plug, that allows the back-flowing blood to displace air as it flows, but the blood can't flow through it.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

How did you purchase IV catheters that require a prescription from a licensed provider?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I hadn't thought that just anybody could go out and buy IV catheters, if that was the case every IV drug user would use those instead of individual injections.
How did you purchase IV catheters that require a prescription from a licensed provider?
On a good night, one can find IV catheters and other sharps on Ebay or Amazon being sold by medical supply retailers. Many of these retailers will sell with an attestation and not require a prescription.
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Specializes in Behavioral Health.
On a good night, one can find IV catheters and other sharps on Ebay or Amazon being sold by medical supply retailers. Many of these retailers will sell with an attestation and not require a prescription.

Well, I'll be damned. I've looked before, for purely legal purposes, and couldn't find them... but there they are. An assortment of styles and gauges. Also IV tubing, saline flushes, and empty IV bags (that say "empty container" on them). Time to start that mobile hydration company I was thinking about!

You've ordered IV catheters to practice placing the catheter? If so, I'm not sure that this is a good idea. Who are you going to practice on? What are you going to do when someone develops a complication?

If it were me, I would not do this.

You forgot to use the magic phrase, "you could lose your license." ;)

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It will be done on campus with an instructor in lab. the school doesn't supply the catheters to practice with, so I decided I wanted to get some for myself. :)

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i got a prescription and purchased them from my pharmacist. I was afraid to just order from amazon or ebay.

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Thanks for all the information. I will take the advice and practice without the "fancy" catheters.

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Specializes in CVICU.

I work in a hospital that does not have the air filters that prevent blood from coming out of the hub. In fact, I did not know such things existed. To prevent a big mess when inserting IV's, I either a) hold distal pressure after advancing the catheter, b) hold the patient's extremity at an upward angle to stifle the outward blood flow, or c) simply place a towel under the hub area so that if they do bleed for a few seconds while I get the cath extension connected, it doesn't get all over them/their sheets. You might try these tips.

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Specializes in Public Health, TB.

Most manufacturers have online instructional videos on how to use their product. We use the BD Nexiva catheter, which has wings.

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