Intravenous Therapy for Prehospital Providers

Book excerpt: Intravenous (IV) Therapy is one of the most invasive procedures handled in the prehospital environment. Proficiency in IV therapy technique is important for most procedures required in advanced life support. Intravenous Therapy for Prehospital Providers prepares emergency medical personnel for the job of administering or assisting with the administration of IV therapy. This book is part of the EMS Continuing Education Series.Written to teach prehospital professionals about IV therapy, important topics covered include principles of fluid balance, IV techniques and administration, infection control, causes and treatment of shock, and altered level of consciousness. A section on practice calculations explains step-by-step how to calculate IV fluid dosage. Age-specific considerations (pediatric and geriatric) and legal issues are covered in their own chapters. The appendices include IV starts log sheets and patient report forms that can be used by IV administrators on the job.This book is part of the EMS Continuing Education Series. As an EMS provider, you know that your education does not stop when you finish your initial training. The things you learn in the field and in continuing education classes give you the extra skills and knowledge to make you the best provider you can be. The EMS Continuing Education Series was created to help you take that extra step toward not just being a great provider, but an outstanding one.