Summary:
Paramedics initiate and deliver infusion therapy to millions of patients in hospitals, at patients’ homes, in resident facilities and in moving vehicles. IV therapy and vascular access devices have become so common in paramedic care that it is easy to forget that serious, sometimes life-threatening complications can arise from improper fluid or drug delivery. Patient safety requires that paramedics take precautions to avoid complications that are associated with IV therapy.
Objectives:
The goal of this continuing education program is to update a paramedic’s expertise in intravenous (IV) therapy. After you study the information presented here, you will be able to —
- Identify drugs that can cause tissue damage if extravasation occurs.
- Describe the components for documenting a peripheral IV insertion.
- Discuss complications of peripheral IV therapy.
Accreditation Information
This course is designed for EMTs and Paramedics and is NOT approved as continuing nursing education.
This continuing education activity is approved by Gannett Education, an organization accredited by the Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services (CECBEMS).
CEH Number and Category: 1.0 Advanced