IV removal

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Hi, I will be a PCT in a hospital, I have never removed an IV, any advice??

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Check the facility procedures and policies. Cover your butt by knowing them before you perform anything.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

There are lots of youtube videos out that cover medical procedures. IV removal procedures are among them. It's not hard to do, but you have to be authorized to do it if you're doing it as a normal course of your job. KNOW your facility's policies and procedures about who can do what. Since you're going to be a PCT, know your facility's scope of practice for your job classification. If it covers IV D/C, watch some videos and then go along with whomever is orienting you and have them show you how to do it, then you do a couple. Just be absolutely certain that's in your scope of practice there.

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Thank you so much!!How to I find the "facility's scope of practice"??? I know all of the CNA routines accept Iv removal, Accuchecks and Foley removal. They demonstrated these to all of us (about 12) and none of us have done them before. thanks so much for the help

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Thank you so much!!How to I find the "facility's scope of practice"??? I know all of the CNA routines accept Iv removal, Accuchecks and Foley removal. They demonstrated these to all of us (about 12) and none of us have done them before. thanks so much for the help

You should never do any procedure you are not proficient in, period....and I don't think I'd be using YouTube as an education tool in this case. If you don't do it correctly according to your facility, you are held accountable for the negligence or improper care---not the fool who did it wrong on YouTube. And oh yes, there are bad videos, trust me.

To find out your facility's policies and procedures (not the facilities' scope of practice, you're confusing the terms), start with the Nurse Educator, if you have one. Your facility should have either an education department or SOMEONE who is responsible for overseeing education and, frankly, THIS VERY SITUATION. Find out from the charge nurse who it is, the director, I don't care, but find her or him.

Depending on the facility, you are either expected to do the procedures you described OR you can be instantly discharged on the spot for doing any of them. Not all of what you described is automatically the domain of a CNA....and honestly it's more common to not do them than TO do them.

Accuchecks are the most common CNA task delegated by a nurse. But IVs and Foley removal....that's varied as to what's allowed.

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I appreciate all the info, THANK YOU so much!!!!!I also thank you for correcting when I had the term wrong, I am new to being a PCT in the hospital and learning, so I appreciate everything!!!!!!

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Can I ask your advice on Accuchecks??Do you have any tips/advice????

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