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IV Therapy and Site Care — NCLEX Cheat Sheet

Assess site q1-2h; change q72-96h

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👤 By the CinnaRN Clinical Content Team 🕐 Updated 2026-07-11 🏷️ Pharmacological Therapies 🔖 Free to read, print, and share

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Use this quick-reference guide to spot, treat, and prevent IV Therapy and Site Care on the NCLEX. Keep it handy during review and on exam day!

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Signs

What to look for

Infiltration: cool, pale, swollen, no blood return
Phlebitis: warm, red, hard cord, tender
Extravasation = vesicant leak → tissue necrosis

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Do

Nursing actions

Stop infusion, D/C IV, elevate limb
Warm compress phlebitis; cool for infiltrate
Flush w/ saline; verify blood return

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Report

Notify / act now

Air embolism: sudden SOB, chest pain
Streaking, fever, purulent = infection

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Avoid

Key facts

Never use IV w/o blood return for vesicants
Don't re-prime infiltrated line

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Quick Tip

Infiltration = a cool, pale, swollen site (fluid leaks into tissue); phlebitis = a warm, red, tender, cordlike vein (inflammation).

📖 Related Topics

Digoxin Toxicity Heparin Therapy Warfarin Therapy Acetaminophen Poisoning in Children

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