What do you start IVs with in your OB unit?

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Specializes in Labor & Delivery.

I work L&D on the Jersey shore & we get a lot of grand multips... we use either 18G or 20G angios for our IVs... it's like practically sticking fork prongs in people, but it's our policy! :crying2: Just out of curiosity, what do you guys use?

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Specializes in Neurosciences.

I just had a repeat C in September. Policy in the hospital was 18g. The nurse that started my IV did a little numbing with lido and she put it in my right forearm. I am a TOTAL BABY about IVs, but this was a piece of cake! Thank the dear lord for lidocaine!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

When I had my little one, the MD required a 18g-hospital required at least a 20g. Hurt like $^%^&$, and it took 4 sticks to get it (I have GREAT veins). Carried bruises around for 4 weeks, but if something had happened I'd been glad it was in.

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Specializes in Labor & Delivery Tech.

18g angio cather. If it is a large patient we will use a 20g. We prefer 18g just incase a patient needs to receive blood for any reason.

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Specializes in Rural Healthcare, AIDS, Hospice, UR, LTC.

We use 18g for all laboring moms just in case they have to go for a stat c-section or need to receive blood.

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We don't require IV's or heplocks on every patient but when they do need an IV, it's an 18G.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I work L&D on the Jersey shore & we get a lot of grand multips... we use either 18G or 20G angios for our IVs... it's like practically sticking fork prongs in people, but it's our policy! :crying2: Just out of curiosity, what do you guys use?

The OB hospital where I did my training at it was their policy for everyone to get at least one 18g in the forearm. You increase/decrease the flow rate by the radius to 4th power for every change in IV gauge.

OB is a high risk practice and you never really now when a patient will go for an unscheduled C-section, have an undiagnosed placenta acreta, or some other complication. A patient isn't going to be able to tell the difference between a 20g or 18g in the forearm if it is done right. 22g/24g IVs are totally worthless on adult patients in my opinion, and should only be used as a last resort. I have stuck 16g and 14g in patients forearms and they didn't know any difference. It is more about technique and finding the right vein than anything else.

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

Gotta have a big line...surgery risk and all...they have lots of fluid on board with HUGE veins so it is an easy start.

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Specializes in ob.

We too require 18g on all our laboring pt's just in case they should have to go to surgery or need blood. But with a hard stick we will sometimes use a 20g. No extention set-surgery says they cannot bolus through them?? We do just fine. We are always short on infusion pumps so we use dial-a-flows on everyone.

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Specializes in all things maternity.

Our policy says all laboring pts require 18g IV's. That is unless you are a VBAC. Then you are required to have a 16g IV. :dzed:

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Specializes in NICU.

Holy lord! I'm now thinking twice about a VBAC with my next one......at the very least I'll be sure to ask the unit I'm delivering on what guage they plan on starting on me! :p

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

At the very least a 20, but an 18 is ideal. Well, ideal for the docs. Not for the patients, I'm sure. :)

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