ADDING A BOLUS INTRAVENOUS MEDICATION TO AN EXISTING INTRAVENOUS LINE

To receive automatic updates of Nursing News, Nursing Care Plans, Case Studies and the November 2008 Nursing Board Exam Result: click Subscribe to NursingCrib.com by Email or via RSS. If you have other topics to discuss, make a post on our Nursing Crib Forum. Thanks for visiting and enjoy your stay!

1. Gather equipment and bring to patient’s bedside. Check medication order against physician’s order. Check a drug resource to clarify if medication needs to be diluted before administration.
2. Explain procedure to patient.
3. Perform hand hygiene. Don clean gloves.
4. Identify patient by checking the band on the patient’s wrist and asking patient his or her name.
5. Assess IV site for presence of inflammation or infiltration.
6. Select the injection port on tubing closet to the venipuncture site. Clean port with alcohol swab.
7. Uncap syringe needleless device or needle into the center of port.
8. Move your nondominant hand to the section of IV tubing just beyond the injection port. Fold the tubing between your fingers to temporarily stop the flow of IV solution.
9. Pull back slightly on plunger just until blood appears in tubing. If no blood appears, medication may site for signs of infiltration.
10. Inject medication at the recommended rate.
11. Remove needle. Do not cap it. Release tubing and allow IV fluid to flow at the proper rate.
12. Dispose of syringe in proper receptacle.
13. Remove gloves and perform hand hygiene.
14. Chart administration of medication. This may be done on the CMAR.
15. Evaluate patient’s response to medication within appropriate time frame

Other Nursing Articles you may want to look at:

• ADDING MEDICATIONS TO AN INTRAVENOUS SOLUTION Gather all equipment and bring to patient’s beside. Check medication order against physician’s order. Perform hand hygiene. Identify patient by checking the band on the patient’s wrist and asking patient his or
• ADMINISTERING AN INTRADERMAL INJECTION Assemble equipment and check physician’s order. Explain procedure to patient. Perform hygiene. Don disposable gloves. If necessary, withdraw medication from ampule or vial. Select area on inner aspect of forearm that is not heavily
• STARTING AN INTRAVENOUS INFUSION SEE INTRAVENOUS INFUSION VIDEO1 SEE INTRAVENOUS INFUSION VIDEO2 Gather equipment and bring to bedside. Check IV solution and medication additives with physician’s order. Explain procedure to patient. Perform hand hygiene. Prepare IV solution and tubing. Maintain
• ADMINISTERING A SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTION Assemble equipment and check physician’s order. Explain procedure to patient. Perform hand hygiene. If necessary, withdraw medication from ampule or vial. Identify patient carefully. Close curtain to provide privacy.
• ADMINISTERING AN INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTION Assemble equipment and check physician’s order. Explain procedure to patient. Perform hand hygiene. If necessary, withdraw medication from ampule or vial. Do not add air to syringe. Identify the patient