Herbal Spotlight
Clinical Pearls
Infusion Therapy
Geriatric
Considerations
Special Alerts
Medication
Administration
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Inserting I.V. lines in pediatric patients
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- Use veins of hands, forearms, or antecubital fossa for ambulating children.
- Avoid using the saphenous vein if the child is ambulating.
- Use the nondominant extremity to allow thumb sucking in young children, and crafts or schoolwork in older children.
- Use a warm pack or latex-free tourniquet to help dilate veins.
- Use a 24G, 22G, or 20G catheter.
- Use the smallest catheter for the vein and the viscosity of the solution. Thin-walled I.V. catheters provide excellent flow rates, even at smaller gauges.
- Use toys to distract the child during insertion. Bubbles are especially useful for distraction.
- Obtain assistance to hold the child still.
- Be aware that the younger the child, the less time there should be between explanation of the procedure and starting of the I.V.
- Use local anesthesia (lidocaine injection or EMLA cream) if facility's policy allows its use.
- Use positioning for comfort techniques whenever possible.
- Pin the arm board to the bed or use neonatal Velcro restraints to limit mobility of the extremity with the I.V. line.
- Secure the site with a padded board if the I.V. site is over an area of flexion.
- Use a sterile transparent semipermeable membrane dressing and, if needed, a clear plastic cup to maintain site visibility.
- Secure the tubing to the site, especially in younger children.
- Allow toddlers and older children to handle equipment, clean the site, or place a make-believe I.V. line in a doll (with supervision) to help them better deal with their infusion therapy.
- Allow older children and adolescents to participate in their care.
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