Editing Nursing Skills and Procedures – RN Practice Questions (section)

==Question 2==
A registered nurse is selecting a site for a peripheral intravenous catheter in an adult client. Which sites should the nurse '''avoid'''? '''Select all that apply.'''
# The forearm of the nondominant arm.
# The arm on the side of a previous mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection.
# The arm containing an arteriovenous fistula.
# A vein just distal to a site that infiltrated yesterday.
# The dorsum of the hand in a client who is alert and ambulatory.
# The lower extremity of an ambulatory adult.

'''Answer:''' 2, 3, 4, and 6 (B, C, D, F).

''Rationale:'' Infusing into an arm with lymph node dissection risks lymphedema and infection; a fistula arm must be preserved for dialysis access; a site distal to a recent infiltration will leak because the vein above it is compromised, so the nurse moves proximal to previous attempts; and lower extremity veins in adults carry a high thrombophlebitis and embolism risk. Options 1 and 5 are acceptable choices, with the forearm generally preferred over the hand for comfort and dwell time.