The nurse notices that the patient’s peripheral IV insertion site is red and indurated. What action does the nurse perform first?

Remove the IV catheter and place a new IV in a different site. Redness and induration at the peripheral IV catheter site indicates a probable infection. The immediate intervention for an infected peripheral IV catheter is removal. IV access can be obtained on a different limb (ideally) or on the same limb proximal to the infection. Antibiotics may or may not be needed, but the catheter is removed first. Blood draws or IV flushed should not be performed. Indeed, the infected catheter should not be used for any reason.

The nurse notices that the patient’s peripheral IV ins...

Category: Reduction of Risk Potential
Difficulty: 5

Topics: Cardiovascular Delegation, Prioritization and Leadership Health Care Quality Health Promotion Infection Inflammation Medication and Blood Products Nursing Interventions Routes of Administration

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