Week 8 (IVs) & Week 9 (IV pump and saline flush)

Question 1

What happens to the net movement of water in an isotonic solution?

Answer 1

Nothing!

- volume injected into the blood vessels will STAY in the blood vessels

Question 2

What happens to the net movement of water in a hypotonic solution?

Answer 2

Movement of water into cells

• there are LESS solutes in blood vessels, water will move out of blood vessels and INTO cells
• watch out for edema

Question 3

What happens to the net movement of water in a hypertonic solution?

Answer 3

Movement of water out of cells

• there are MORE solutes in blood vessels, water will move out of cells and INTO blood vessels
• watch out for hypertension

Question 4

What are four uses of IV therapy?

Answer 4

1. Rehydration
2. Nutrition
3. IV medications
4. Volume replacement

Question 5

What are two advantages of IV therapy?

Answer 5

1. Faster onset of medications

2. Effective when oral/rectal route is unavailable

Question 6

What are two disadvantages of IV therapy?

Answer 6

1. Risk of infection

2. Hard to reverse the effects of medication before they occur

Question 7

Name four potential localized complications of IV therapy.

Answer 7

1. Phlebitis
2. Infiltration
3. Infection
4. Cellulitis

Question 8

What is phlebitis?

Answer 8

Inflammation in the walls of a vein

Question 9

What in infiltration?

Answer 9

When IV fluids leak into surrounding tissue

- caused by improper placement of dislodgement

Question 10

What is cellulitis?

Answer 10

Bacterial skin infection

Question 11

How should you assess the IV site and tubing?

Answer 11

From the IV bag down to the IV site

Question 12

What are primary IVs used for?

Secondary?

Answer 12

Primary: used for IV fluids
Secondary: used for IV medications

Question 13

How frequently should IV tubing be replaced?

Answer 13

Every 72 hours

- or according to hospital policy

Question 14

How long do IV bags last for?

Answer 14

Max 24 hours

- then replace

Question 15

How long do IV sites last for?

Answer 15

Max 96 hours

- or according to hospital policy

Question 16

How high should a bag be hung above a patient?

Answer 16

3 feet above the patient’s heart

Question 17

What happens if the IV bag is below the level of the heart?

Answer 17

Infusion will NOT run

- blood will back up into the tubing

Question 18

What patients are at high risk for fluid overload?

Answer 18

The elderly and patients with kidney or heart disease

Question 19

What is the formula for calculating gtts/min?

Answer 19

(Volume / Time in mins) x drip factor = drops per minute

Question 20

What is the formula for calculating flow by IV pump?

Answer 20

Volume / Time (in hours) = mL/hr

Question 21

You are hanging Morphine 10 mg in a 50 mL NS mini-bag. The PDTM states it can be infused over 15 minutes, what rate would the IV pump be set at? What drip rate would it be running by IV gravity (10 gtts/ml)?

Answer 21

200 mL/hour

33 gtts/min

Question 22

Doctor’s order: Cloxacillin 750 mg IV q4h
Reconstitution directions from pharmacy state: Add 6.8 ml sterile water to give 2G/8 ml.
How much of the reconstituted medication will you draw up in your syringe in order to
prepare a correct dose?

Answer 22

3 mL

Question 23

Patient complains of nausea, you have already administered Gravol and Stemetil with no
effective results. You want to prepare Zofran 2mg in a NS 50ml mini-bag. If the vial holds
4mg/1ml, how many millilitres will you draw up?

Answer 23

0.5 mL

Question 24

Ordered: Pantoprazole 8 mg/hr IV by continuous infusion.
The medication is supplied in a minibag as: Pantoprazole 40 mg in 100 ml NS
The medication will be administered using an IV pump. At what rate will you set
the infusion?

Answer 24

20 mL/hour

Question 25

The doctor orders your patient to have 250 mL of IV fluid over the next 2 hours. If the patient has macrodrip tubing (10 drops/mL), how fast will the IV run in drops/min?

Answer 25

21 gtts/min