Paediatric Nursing (PAED)
SETTING UP INTRAVENOUS LINE FOR A CHILD
This is the establishment of venous access for fluid and medication administration in children.
Purpose
- Provide vascular access
- Administer fluids
- Deliver medications
- Enable blood sampling
Indications
- Need for IV therapy
- Poor oral intake
- Emergency access
- Medication administration
Equipment
- IV cannula (appropriate gauge)
- Tourniquet
- Antiseptic swabs
- Transparent dressing
- IV tubing
- Priming solution
- Gloves
- Securement device
Preparation
- Gather equipment
- Select appropriate cannula size
- Prime tubing
- Choose insertion site
Procedure steps
- Verify order and explain procedure
- Perform hand hygiene
- Select appropriate vein
- Apply tourniquet
- Clean site with antiseptic
- Allow to dry
- Don gloves
- Insert cannula at appropriate angle
- Advance when flashback seen
- Release tourniquet
- Connect primed tubing
- Secure with dressing
- Label with date/time
- Verify patency
Precautions
- Use aseptic technique
- Select appropriate gauge
- Avoid areas of flexion
- Secure properly
Aftercare
- Monitor site regularly
- Maintain patency
- Change dressing per protocol
- Assess for complications
Nursing considerations
- Use smallest effective gauge
- Consider developmental stage
- Use distraction techniques
Patient education
- Explain purpose of IV
- Teach signs of problems
- Encourage reporting pain
Documentation
- Cannula size and location
- Date/time of insertion
- Number of attempts
- Site condition
- Patient tolerance
References and further reading
Educational resource only. Follow current Nursing and Midwifery Council guidance, local institutional protocols, scope of practice, and clinical supervision.
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