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Where I work IV's are started in holding--generally by the nurses , but sometimes by anesthesia.
Honestly, I think it is best to have them started before the patient goes into the OR so that they can get some Versed, or something along those lines, before they are actually wheeled into the OR.
For Pediatric patients, IV's are often started in the OR, after the child is "masked down" with gas first, or after getting Versed syrup in holding.
It kind of depends on the time of year here. LOL. Most of the time, they're started by the pre-op RNs. September-May, we have a lot of paramedic students who need to get their 25 IVs done, so we have them come in and do sticks in pre-op. If there are a lof of procedures that day, we'll sometimes have patients go to ER to have their lines started. Anesthesia only does the difficult ones.
We start ours in the preop area by the RN. The anesthesia department actually gets a bit aggravated with us if we have not at least tried. On pedi's they will start those once they are put to sleep. Otherwise we very seldom see anesthesia start a line. On occasion, we will start the IV with a smaller gauge insyte (tough stick) and then anesthesia will start a bigger bore IV once the patient has been sedated.
I had an O/P procedure done a few months ago.I have NO veins to work with they tell me.The 2 poor nurses who were prepping me made the mistake of letting me know they "might have to stick me a couple of times".(each).I told them they had 1 chance to stick me or no IV.I had been poked and prodded multiple times that week.This thread explains why the next person I saw was an anesthesiologist to start the impossible IV.He got it the first time.Wonders what a little lido can do and some patience(and a nice healthy dose of Versed to make the pain in the rear nurse pt go nite-nite-compliments of the anesthesiologist begged for by the nurses caring for me):chuckle Thank goodness for that one in house thats always good at IVs.
ajaxgirl
330 Posts
I am an OR nurse. Our hospital starts all IV's on day surgery by the RN. I know most hospitals start them in the OR usually by the anaesthetist. What does your hospital do?