Where do you prefer an IV?

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klone, MSN, RN

14,577 Posts

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership. Has 17 years experience.

anything BUT AC.

NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN

1 Article; 1,066 Posts

Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency, CEN. Has 10 years experience.
anything BUT AC.

Ha ha! :)

Specializes in Emergency Department. Has 8 years experience.

As long as it doesn't cross a joint line so it can't be kinked simply by bending that joint. I'd rather not have the IV pump beeping at me because I chose to bend an arm or a wrist.

Specializes in Cardiology and ER Nursing. Has 10 years experience.

Forearm ideally. The AC is just a terrible place to have an IV, and having one placed in the hand typically hurts like hell.

CodeteamB

473 Posts

Specializes in Emergency. Has 5+ years experience.

I prefer forearm. That way I can still wash my hands properly and use my arm, and that is usually my first choice for a poke. That being said I would rather the nurse pick a site he or she is comfortable with and will succeed on the first try, and if an AC IV is the price I pay for one poke so be it!

Sun0408, ASN, RN

1,761 Posts

Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU. Has 4 years experience.

Any place but the AC, drives me crazy with the beeping...

OCNRN63, RN

5,978 Posts

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Medi-port.

Specializes in Pediatric Cardiology. Has 7 years experience.

I had an IV in my hand and I hated it. The AC seems annoying so I would go forearm.

Specializes in Cardiology. Has 4 years experience.
This thought was triggered by the IV size discussion at https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/size-matters-iv-836846.html

If you are a patient, where would you prefer an IV to be placed? Personally, I can keep my arm straight if it's my off side, and I am not a fan of hand vein IVs for myself, so an AC for me please.

The only time I've ever had an IV was for a lap chole. It was in my AC. I sleep with my arms bent up above my shoulders. In my zonked state in the PACU, I was ticked off because I couldn't put my arms up this way because of the IV in my LAC and the BP cuff on my RUE. For myself (and my patients) I prefer the forearm when possible.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B

51 Articles; 4,800 Posts

Forearm. Although depending on your facility policy, sometimes for surgical patients the preferred place is the hand.

AC sucks. I had an iv in the AC of my dominant arm and couldn't bend that arm even slightly without pain. I was being admitted for observation and begged my nurse to put one in somewhere else and bless her, she did. Forearm is great, hand is fine. Had one of the dorsal side of my wrist that was uncomfortable, but AC is the worst.