Help with IVs!!

[rebecca12]

I am a nursing student with a few questions about IVs. I am about to be a senior and we still haven't really covered how to use IVs. I work at a hospital now and have been more exposed to them so I had a few questions. When an IV is turned off does air still flow through it? For example: an IV is finished and it beeps saying "air in line", a new IV bag is spiked but the IV channel is turned off. Will air flow into the IV? Thanks for your answers.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

If there is air in the line, it needs to be reprimed when a new bag is spiked. If the bag is empty, air isn't going to infuse into the line if the pump is off. The pump will also sense air in the line and stop the infusion.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

when the pump is off it is off, however, when the new bag is begun....the iv line needs to be reprimed to be free of air, prior to restarting the iv on the patient. this is can be done in a numerous of ways depending on facility policy and pump design. youtube has a ton of videos on this.

[video=youtube_share;u1-q848-67e]http://youtu.be/u1-q848-67e

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

You're right that if the line was completely open (not on a pump, and no clamps) then the remaining fluid and air would flow into the patient by gravity. But when the line is on a pump, and the pump is stopped, the line is clamped off. The clamp prevents any fluid or air from moving through the line. Likewise, any time you close a clamp on the IV tubing, you'll be shutting off the flow of fluid to the patient.

Previous posters are also right that all the air needs to be takes out of the line before you can restart the flow of fluid. Ideally, you should program your IV pump so that it beeps before the bag is completely empty, so that you avoid getting air in the line.

A lot of nursing schools don't teach too much about IV therapy. Students aren't usually allowed to use the iV equipment during clinicals, so unfortunately the schools just assume you'll learn when you start your first job. It's a good idea to ask the nurses about IV's if you have questions during clinical.