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IV Therapy Administration

After completing class and laboratory practice:

1. Junior and Senior students may:

   1. Start and discontinue IV's under supervision after approved by the instructor

   2. Be responsible for monitoring for signs of complications of IV therapy 

   3. Add intravenous medications (except drugs noted below), into quantity solutions and administer them, with approval of the instructor.

   4. Maintain male adapter plugs (MAPS) (including heparin or saline flush), per hospital policy.

   5. Hang piggybacks and IV bags under supervision until approved by the instructor.

   6. Change rates on continuous medication infusions requiring titration under direct supervision of an RN or instructor.

   7. Draw blood from central lines with direct supervision of instructor.

   8. Administer KCL, IVPBs with direct supervision of RN/instructor according to agency policy.

2. Senior students ONLY may:

   1. Give IV medications from a syringe directly into IV device only with prior dose validation and with the approval of the instructor.

   2. Give IV push narcotics under the direct supervision of instructor.

3. Junior and Senior students MAY NOT:

   1. Administer the following drugs intravenously:

      1. Cytotoxic drugs such as chemotherapy/radiotherapy

      2. Iron preparations, antidysrhythmics, thrombolytic agents

      3. Cardiac stimulants such as Epinephrine, Digoxin

      4. Cardiac depressants such as Verapamil

      5. Antihypertensives such as Regitine (pentolamine)

      6. Neuromuscular blocking agents such as Anectine,

   2. PavulonPick up blood or blood products from blood bank or start whole blood, plasma, or blood components EXCEPTIONS: may hang albumin only under direct supervision of RN or instructor

   3. Insert catheter within a needle device, ie. PICC

   4. Initiate or maintain narcotic (PCA) or epidural infusion

Incident Reports and Medication Errors

1. Verbal report of the incident or medication error is given directly to:

   1. Instructor

   2. Primary nurse and charge/resource nurse

   3. The physician as directed

2. Written report and or computer report varies (see specific instructions for your facility). Student will complete an incident report form and return to instructor for signature and follow-up. A record will be kept by the Department Chair until graduation.

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