| A | B |
|---|
| Intravenous (IV) therapy / Parenteral therapy | Treatment that introduces fluids, electrolytes, calories, vitamins, medications, or blood directly into the circulatory system through a vein. |
| Intravenous | Into the vein. |
| Electrolyte | A salt or ion that dissolves in water and carries an electrical charge. |
| Sodium (Na) | A major electrolyte; severe imbalance can contribute to seizures or death. |
| Potassium (K) | A major electrolyte; imbalance can cause muscle twitching and irregular heartbeat. |
| Chloride (Cl) | A major electrolyte involved in fluid balance and acid-base balance. |
| Homeostasis | The body's maintenance of a stable internal balance, including fluids and electrolytes. |
| Intracellular fluid | Fluid located within body cells; about two-thirds of body fluid is intracellular. |
| Intravascular fluid | Fluid located within the blood vessels. |
| Interstitial fluid | Fluid located in the spaces between cells. |
| Fluid and electrolyte regulation | Primarily supported by the respiratory, gastrointestinal, circulatory, renal, and integumentary systems. |
| Renal system | A body system that plays a major role in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance. |
| Indications for IV therapy | May include inability to take fluids orally, abnormal fluid loss, IV-only medications, and prophylactic antibiotics for some procedures. |
| Goals of IV therapy | May include restoring acid-base balance, replacing blood loss, correcting dehydration, stabilizing bleeding disorders, and providing nutrition. |
| IV bag | Container that holds IV solution; commonly available in sizes ranging from about 50 mL to 1000 mL. |
| IV access device | A needle or catheter inserted into a vein to provide access for IV therapy. |
| Intracatheter / intracath | Generic term for a plastic IV catheter inserted into a vein. |
| Angiocatheter (Angiocath) | A common brand of IV catheter used in hospitals. |
| Flash chamber | Small chamber on an IV catheter device that fills with blood when the needle is properly positioned in a vein. |
| IV site | The location where an IV catheter or needle is inserted into the patient's vein. |
| Tegaderm | A transparent dressing commonly used to secure an IV catheter while allowing the site to be observed. |
| Butterfly needle | A small winged needle often used for short-term IV therapy, blood collection, or patients with small veins. |
| Central venous access device (CVD/CVC) | A catheter inserted into a large vein such as the subclavian, jugular, or femoral vein. |
| PICC line | A peripherally inserted central catheter; a commonly used central venous access device. |
| Central line indications | May include inability to establish peripheral access, concentrated medications, large-volume fluids, frequent blood sampling, or certain specialized therapies. |
| Central line risks | Include infection, bleeding, damage to surrounding structures, air embolism, and arrhythmias. |
| Central line consent | Informed consent is required for insertion of a central venous access device; the clinical secretary may prepare and label the form and give it to the nurse. |
| IV tubing / infusion set | Tubing that connects the IV solution to the IV catheter; also called a drip set or infusion set. |
| Mainline IV set | The most common IV tubing set, connecting one IV solution bag to the patient's IV catheter. |
| Drip chamber | Part of IV tubing where drops of solution can be seen and used to help determine the infusion rate. |
| Roller clamp | Device on IV tubing used to manually adjust the infusion rate in a gravity-fed system. |
| IV access port | Self-sealing point in IV tubing where medications or a secondary IV line may be connected. |
| Macro-drip set | IV tubing that delivers relatively large drops and is used for larger volumes of fluid. |
| Mini-drip set | IV tubing that delivers small drops and is often used for medications or children. |
| Y tubing | IV tubing with two ports that can accommodate two IV bags and allow two solutions to be connected. |
| Blood Y tubing | Special Y tubing used for blood transfusion; it has a filter in the drip chamber. |
| Blood-compatible IV solution | Normal saline is the IV fluid used with blood and blood products. |
| Medication administration set / add-a-line | A secondary IV tubing set connected to the main IV line, often used for IV medications or minibags. |
| Electronic flow regulator | Device that controls IV infusion by monitoring drops per minute or the volume of fluid delivered. |
| Electronic infusion pump | Device that delivers a programmed IV volume accurately and alarms if flow is interrupted or the bag is empty. |
| Clinical secretary response to IV pump alarm | Notify the nurse if the pump alarm has not been addressed; do not attempt to adjust the pump. |
| Buritrol / Buretrol | A chamber added between the IV bag and tubing to control the volume infused more closely; often used when precise fluid control is needed, especially with children. |
| Gravity-based IV system | IV delivery system in which the bag is hung above the IV site and fluid flows by gravity; the nurse adjusts the roller clamp. |
| Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) | A system that allows a patient to self-administer preprogrammed doses of IV analgesic within prescribed safety limits. |
| PCA advantage | Can improve the patient's sense of control and reduce anxiety while providing timely pain relief. |
| PCA safety | The pump is programmed so the patient cannot exceed the prescribed maximum dose. |
| Heparin lock / saline lock / PRN adapter | An IV connection device that provides venous access without requiring continuous IV infusion. |
| Purpose of flushing a saline or heparin lock | Keeps the device patent and prevents it from becoming blocked. |
| IV push (IVP) | Medication administered directly into a vein or through an IV port using a syringe. |
| Components of an IV order | Rate of infusion or flow rate, start date, how long the IV is to continue or stop date, and the solution ordered. |
| Flow rate | How fast the ordered IV solution is to be infused into the patient's vein. |
| Common IV flow-rate order | Usually written in mL/hour or cc/hour; nurses may convert this to drops per minute (gtt/min) for gravity systems. |
| gtt/min | Drops per minute; a measurement used to describe an IV infusion rate in a gravity-fed system. |
| Fast IV rate | A faster rate, such as about 150 mL/h, may be ordered for dehydration depending on the patient's condition. |
| Moderate IV rate | A rate of about 75 to 125 mL/h may be used to maintain hydration and electrolyte balance. |
| Slow IV rate | A slower rate, such as about 50 mL/h, may be used when IV access is mainly needed for medication infusion. |
| TKVO | To keep the vein open; indicates a slow IV rate intended to maintain venous access. |
| IV start date | Recorded so the team can determine when the IV site and/or tubing should be changed according to facility protocol. |
| D/C IV when drinking well | Discontinue the IV when the patient is drinking enough fluids adequately. |
| D/C after current bag is absorbed | Discontinue the IV after the present bag of solution has infused. |
| D/C if IV goes interstitial | Discontinue the IV if the catheter leaves the vein and solution begins entering surrounding tissue. |
| D/C when last medication dose is through | Discontinue the IV after the final ordered IV medication dose has been administered. |
| RL / LR | Ringer's lactate or lactated Ringer's; contains water and electrolytes. |
| Uses for Ringer's lactate | Used for conditions such as dehydration, milder metabolic acidosis, and shock states involving extracellular fluid loss. |
| 2/3 & 1/3 | IV solution containing 3.3% dextrose and 0.3% sodium chloride, commonly used to maintain hydration and fluid balance. |
| D5W | 5% dextrose in water; used primarily to replace water loss and provide some calories, but it contains no electrolytes. |
| Normal saline (N/S) | An isotonic sodium chloride solution ( 0.9% sodium chloride) used for fluid replacement and electrolyte balance; usually run with blood products; it contains no calories. |
| D5NS | 5% dextrose in normal saline; used for hydration and maintenance of body fluids and nutrition. |
| 0.45% NaCl / 1/2 NS | Half-strength normal saline; may be used as a maintenance fluid and in some cases of metabolic acidosis. |
| IV order transcription without CPOE | The pharmacy adds IV solutions and medications to the eMAR after receiving the order; the clinical secretary may still need to add the IV order to the eKardex. |
| IV order transcription with CPOE | IV solutions and medications are automatically transmitted to the pharmacy and populate the eMAR and eKardex. |
| Blood transfusion preparation | The patient's blood must be typed and cross-matched to ensure compatible blood is provided. |
| Cross-match and hold | Blood is matched to the patient's type and held by the lab in case it is needed, such as before major surgery. |
| Packed cells | The most commonly ordered blood product; red blood cells separated from whole blood and used especially to correct anemia when extra fluid volume is not desired. |
| Platelets | Blood product used for patients with low platelet counts, such as thrombocytopenia. |
| Fresh frozen plasma | Plasma containing coagulation factors and used for patients with clotting deficiencies. |
| Albumin | A protein extracted from blood that may be used to expand fluid volume within the blood vessels. |
| Cryoprecipitate | A blood product derived from fresh frozen plasma that contains clotting factors used to help control bleeding. |
| Whole blood | Donated blood containing its major components; one unit is approximately 520 mL |
| Reasons for blood transfusion | May include acute blood loss, anemia, coagulation deficiencies, or preparation for possible blood loss during major surgery. |
| Clinical secretary responsibility for ordered blood products | Send the required requisition to the lab and receive notification when the blood product is ready, following facility procedure. |
