Quick Question On IV's

Hello! I just have a quick question on IV's for something I'm writing:

What hand do they go in? Is it always the right, the left, or does it not matter?

(And I know they can go other places, like the forearm, but in this case I want it in the hand.)

Thanks!

~JFW1415

I've seen it go in either hand, but usually the left considering most people are right handed and an IV in the hand you use the most would make it harder to use said hand.

Yeah, I think it's the hand which is your non-dominant hand. I.e. if you're right handed then it'd go in your left, if you're left handed then it'd go in your right.

I've only ever had an IV in the forearm, but it was the same as my dominant hand, actually. Though I only had it there for a short surgery and it was there to put me to sleep, so I'm not exactly an expert.

It really doesn't matter. I currently have a huge bruise on the back of my right hand from one--it's sore, but not enough to hinder movement. They're really freaky. XD And when it's in, you can still use that hand to some extent, though an extended patient would want one in the non-dominant hand in order to write and such. But outpatient? Stick it in anywhere.

It only matters in the sense they will choose the hand that has the most accessible veins. If the veins in one hand are too small, they will choose the other just because it means they'll only stick you once.

But yeah, if it's going to be in for a long time, they will try and use your less dominant hand, because when they put it on they basically attach your hand to this board thing with tape and you can't more anything but your fingers (and even then movement is limited). =P

Thanks, guys! I have only had one once, and it was only for a quick surgery and the recovery time. It was also several years ago, so I forget what hand it was in. O.o

That really helped!

~JFW1415

An IV can be put in the bottom of your forearm as well - where your arms bends - if a vein cannot be found the tops of your hands. I've had more IV's than I care to remember but more often than not I was stuck in the region of underside of my forearm, not the hand. My veins are thin and are especially poor near my hands. Veins are more prominate in the latter, sorry to disappoint. Think when a person flexes, especially a man, veins are more easily seen near the forearm area. Plus getting stuck on the top of the hand hurts far more. It's thinner and there's less muscle tissue. Accidently jerking the cords when I roll over is sheer annoyance too.

In conclusion, IV's are the spawns of Satan.

Samuel Garrison wrote:In conclusion, IV's are the spawns of Satan.

Exactly why I'm giving my character one.

Thanks, Samuel G!

~JFW1415

It depends on where they can find an vain. I am always having them attached in weird places since my vains are heard to find. but i asked myu aunt, a nurse, and she said some nurses have prefrences.