Nurses choose IV sites by first assessing your arm veins, starting from your lower arm up.
When choosing IV sites, nurses also look for straight, bouncy veins and avoid joints, scars, infections or the side of a stroke or mastectomy.
The choice of IV site also depends on your age and the type of medicine that is ordered and being used with the IV.
For IV sites, nurses prefer your nondominant hand or your forearm so that you can still move and nurses will avoid areas that bend like your wrist or inner elbow (antecubital), when possible, because any movement can block the flow of fluid through the IV.
Nurses also pick veins for IV's that feel soft and bouncy and they skip veins that feel hard, scarred or bruised.
When inserting an IV the nurse also uses larger veins for thick fluids, blood or harsh medications and smaller veins for basic hydration.
And nurses also choose tiny or fragile gauges for IVs, for older adults or children and also avoid arms that have had previous surgeries or dialysis grafts.
When selecting an IV insertion site, you should choose a vein that is palpable, straight, and located in the upper extremities.
Key Vein Characteristics for IV sites include:
Palpable: Feels bouncy, soft, and springy under the finger rather than hard or rigid.
Straight: Allows smooth advancement of the plastic catheter without hitting a fork or branch.
Intact: Free from signs of bruising, swelling, hardening, or past damage.
Placement Guidelines for IV insertion include:
Distal first: Start with the lower parts of the arm or the back of the hand so you can move higher up later if needed.
Non-dominant arm: Pick the non-dominant hand or arm when possible so the patient can move more easily.
Avoid joints: Stay away from areas that bend, like the wrist or inner elbow (antecubital space), to stop the needle from blocking or moving.