While I was working as a stat nurse, I received a call to insert an IV. This particular patient is difficult to obtain vascular access on. During this shift, vascular access was not in house. The patient weighed 160kg and the best way to obtain access is via ultrasound. The PIV that was no longer patent had just been inserted 18 hours prior, which had taken vascular access 3 attempts to obtain. When I received the call to insert a new PIV, I knew this was not going to be an easy task. She was stuck 3 times when Jen offered to stop by (on her off day) to place a new line for her. The charge nurse decided we should try the transport team before taking her up on her offer. They too were unfortunately unsuccessful. The doctors felt she needed a new IV due to the patient having numerous allergies to antibiotics. The one antibiotic she was receiving, there was not an equivalent in an oral form.Jen came in, with her manager's approval, and was able to insert a new IV via one attempt.
Without Jen coming in on her off day to insert this PIV, I am unsure how many more attempts it would have taken to obtain access for this patient. I am not sure anyone who is not proficient in ultrasound would have been able to be successful. The patient was already hesitant to agree to another attempt.Having the patient endure numerous attempts was not what was best for her. Jen being able to obtain access helped provide the best care for the patient, enabling her to receive the appropriate antibiotics and pain medications to help with her recovery.