Intravenous Infusion Therapy

Rahand Saman Tahir

 What is Intravenous Infusion
Therapy?

 Giving fluids intravenously to a patient not able to

take it otherwise.
 PURPOSES OF INTRAVENOUS
INFUSION

 Unconscious Patient ( e.g.: post operation ,accidents , etc..)

 To keep the vein open
 Electrolytes balance.
 To provide patient with fluid when required fluid intake can’t
be given orally
 To provides medication & chemotherapeutic agents
 Blood transfusion
 Nutrient and nutritional supplement
 Types of Solutions used

 Isotonic solutions
 Hypotonic solutions
 Hypertonic solutions
 Isotonic solutions

Fluids with approximately close osmotic pressure to

blood cells.

Examples :
 0.9% Saline
 5% Dextrose in 0.225% saline (D5W1/4NS)
 Lactated Ringer’s
 Hypotonic solutions

Fluids which have less Osmotic pressure than

blood cells.

Examples :
 0.45% Saline (1/2 NS)
 0.225% Saline (1/4 NS)
 0.33% saline (1/3 NS)
 Hypertonic solutions

 Fluids which have greater osmotic pressure than

blood cells.

Examples :
 3% Saline
 5% Saline
 10% Dextrose in Water (D10W)
 5% Dextrose in 0.9% Saline
 5% Dextrose in 0.45% saline
 5% Dextrose in Lactated Ringer’s
 Intravenous Infusion Devices

 Cannula
 IV Tubing set & Solution bag
 IV Pole and/or Pump
 Tape
 Procedure

 Hang the IV fluid bag on the pole

 Apply the infusion set to the bag (setting the dripping rate
to a very slow rate is favored to be done prior to injection
of the set to the bag to prevent leakage)
 Squeeze the dripping chamber to fill it (2/3 of it should be
filled)
 Test the system by opening the dripping rate , if worked re
close the system
 Connect the set to the cannula on the patient
 Re-set the dripping rate to the favored rate and open it
 Calculating dripping rate

 For calculating dripping rate this equation might be

used

𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒(𝑚𝑙)
X dripping factor
𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒
 Calculating dripping factor

 For example : To calculate the drip rate of an I.V. that

is to infuse 1000ml in 8 hours using the tubing that
has drop factor of 10

1000 10000
 ∗ 10 = ≅ 21 drops per minute
8ℎ𝑟𝑠∗60 480𝑚𝑖𝑛
 Recording the procedure

 Labeling the bottle or bag

 Record on a sheet :
 name of patient
 type of solution
 time of commencement
 time of completion of each liter
 flow rate
 medication added (if any)
 name or signature of the one carrying out the procedure
Example
Sequence Infusion Volume Drug Dose Rate Doctor
No. fluid addition signature
1 0.9% NaCl 1L _______ ______ 250ml/hrs Dr.___
Factors affecting the procedure

 Height of the intravenous pole

The dropping flow rate is affected by gravity
 Position of the extremity
If the wrist or elbow is raised or bent the flow goes
slower
 Constriction or kinking of intravenous tubing
 The position of the needle within the vein
 complications

 Infiltration : fluid enters subcutaneous tissues

 Phlebitis : inflammation of a vein
 Thrombophlebitis : if the inflammations is accompanied by
a thrombus
 Infection : due to prolong usage of the same site and
maintenance of the vessel opening
 air embolism : entrance of air to the circulation causing
obstruction
 fluid overload : due to mistaken calculation or not correctly
working system
 Stopping of the procedure

 The procedure should be stopped when:

 the desired fluid is given to the patient
 When over dosing occur
 If an allergic signs are apparent due using a
medication
 If any of the mentioned complications occurred it
must be a stoppoint
 REFERENCIES

 Provisional infusion therapy standards : Intravenous

Nursing New Zealand Incorporated Society
 Nursing. Human Craven R. & Hirnley C.J(2009).
Fundamentals of Health and function (6th ed).
Philadelphia J.B Lippincott
 Potter P. &Perry A.(2005). Fundamentals of Nursing
(6th Ed). St Louis C.V Mosbey.