Initiating Maintenance IV Fluids

Source: Madeline Lassche, MSNEd, RN and Katie Baraki, MSN, RN, College of Nursing, University of Utah, UT

Hospitalized patients frequently require the administration of intravenous (IV) fluids to maintain their fluid and electrolyte balance. Certain medical conditions that preclude oral fluid intake may necessitate IV fluid administration, with or without electrolytes, to prevent hypovolemia, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances. Pre-surgical and pre-procedure patients who require anesthesia are often required to be NPO (i.e., nil per os; Latin for "nothing by mouth") to prevent aspiration and to maintain hydration during the procedure. Post-surgical and post-procedure patients may also require IV fluid administration to increase intravascular volume following surgical blood loss.

IV fluids can be delivered by different types of administrations sets: gravity flow infusion devices, which rely on gravitation force to push the fluid to the patient's bloodstream, or infusion pumps, which use a pump mechanism that generates positive pressure. While administering maintenance IV fluids using an infusion pump is the most common approach, facility policy; availability of infusion pump equipment; and other limitations, such as a power outage, may necessitate the use of IV gravity tubing. This video describes the approach to initiate maintenance IV fluids using gravity tubing, as well as how to calculate and set the infusion drip rates.