The nurse feels resistance while trying to flush the intravenous (IV) line with a 5-mL syringe of normal saline solution before administering a medication by IV bolus. Which should the nurse implement next?
a. Use a 3-mL syringe to flush.
b. Aspirate the IV line for a blood return.
c. Check for causes of resistance.
d. Inject the IV medication slowly.
C
The nurse checks for causes of resistance, such as clamped or kinked tubing. If the IV site is oc-cluded, the nurse discontinues the IV infusion and inserts another IV line in another site. Using a 3-mL syringe increases the potential pressure delivered by the flush. The smaller the syringe, the higher the pressure exerted on the vein. Blood return is a not a sensitive indicator of IV patency; thus the nurse avoids basing follow-up nursing care on the blood return. He or she avoids inject-ing the medication to prevent complications.
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