Short IV Insertion Class for healthcare practitioners who fall within their scope of practice or are allowed by their physician e.g. Medical Assistant

Instruction in insertion of traditional peripheral over-the-needle-cannula, aka “short” intravenous catheters. Instruction includes the insertion procedure, techniques for proper and successful catheter insertions, care, assessment and maintenance post catheter insertion.

The IV Course Program covers:

• Pre-procedure steps
• Anatomy and physiology related to peripheral short IV catheter insertion procedures
• INS standards; AVA, CDC, JCHAO guidelines and recommendations
• Legal issues
• Clinician, patient and supply preparation
• Vein site, and catheter selection
• Vein assessment practicum on partners
• Venipuncture techniques
• Catheter site care and catheter securement
• Complication prevention and management
• Common problems and tips for success in patients with difficult access
• Hands on lab practicum (in-person program version)

After the class; What’s next?

There is no national non-profit organization that exists primarily for certification of peripheral IV catheter insertion procedures like there is for other procedure based skills such as CPR and phlebotomy. Individual clinicians and employers find that there is a need for consistency in credentialing of clinicians to perform IV catheter insertions. To answer this need, we have developed our program using evidence-based practice criteria. The program has been designed for use by clinicians and employers to document clinical training progress, initial completion and ongoing training. The focus of the program is to provide a framework and credentialing process for clinicians to demonstrate knowledge and independence in the performance of IV catheter insertion procedures. It incorporates standards, guidelines, and recommendations from the leading IV-related organizations that set the standards of IV care in the U.S.