Emergency Room IV Access Survey

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Specializes in Burn ICU, OR, Research, Med Device Edu.

Nursing friends!

I need your help! I am a RN that has worked in Burn ICUs and OR, but doesn't have direct experience in the Emergency Department. I am working on a project that is accessing IV access in Emergency Department. If you are a ED RN or know of someone that works in the Emergency Department, would you please take this 2 minutes survey?

https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/u5idO3

I sincerely appreciate your help!! Please feel free to share!!

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/LDRP/Ortho ASC.

Hi! I took the survey. The only thing I would say is that iv access in a chemo pt is a toss up. Yes it can be difficult, but you hardly ever encounter one without a port...which makes access incredibly easy:)

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Specializes in Burn ICU, OR, Research, Med Device Edu.

Thank you SO much for taking the survey and comment, definitely a great point. I really appreciate your help!

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Most common patients I see are chest pain, abdominal pain, respiratory distress, and AMS. An altered and uncooperative patient would be a challenging IV start that I see daily ( altered from a UTI, ETOH, dementia, etc)

IV drug users can typically tell you which vein to use, the underside of their dominate arm is always a good place to look. A patient in severe respiratory distress can also be a challenging IV start if they are having a tough time staying still. Obtaining access during a code with CPR in progress also is no picnic. Sometimes the patient just has a fear of needles and despite having pipes for veins they wont stay still.

Honestly though I think on average I might need to ask another nurse to start an IV for me less than once per month. I work in a busy ED that sees 120,000 patients a year.

Do you work in a hospital where the ED has a high instance of not being able to obtain IV access? The question regarding how many patient seen per year lists fairly low numbers, just curious if maybe its that the nurses don't have the opportunity to start enough lines? I would estimate I start 10-20 per 12 hours shift.

Good luck in your survey :)

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Specializes in Burn ICU, OR, Research, Med Device Edu.

Thank you so much or your help here!! This is fantastic information and I greatly appreciate you sharing your thoughts! I currently work in Clinical Affairs (Research) and have been out of direct patient care for a couple years, which is why I was really interested in connecting with RNs that are currently working in the ED space.

If you would be open to it, I would love to try and connect and learn more about your background and experience at such a large facility. I am finding the best way to learn is to have conversations with the actual experts such as yourself! Absolutely no pressure, I know it is a very busy time of the year on top of work.

Thank you again for your help here!!

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