News & Discussions
Patient Spotlight: Barby Woke Up During Surgery After Her IV Infiltrated
By Heather Michon | In the middle of surgery, Barby Ingle woke up. “I was aware of everything going on, I was aware of the pain, I was listening to the doctor talking to the nurses as well as the music playing in the background,” she recalls. “I was so scared because...
How Do IVs Work With The Circulatory System?
By Ryan MacArthur | While many patients have heard the phrase ‘circulatory system,’ not everyone is familiar with what the circulatory system does in the body. We all need blood to circulate through our bodies to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. But how do...
What All Patients Need to Know About Sepsis
By Ryan MacArthur | A 2015 study from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine reported that healthcare providers diagnose more than 1.6 million Americans with sepsis each year. This serious illness can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, amputation, and...
How Do I Know If I Need IV Fluids For the Flu?
By Ryan MacArthur | It’s almost that time again – along with the leaves changing comes the dreaded flu season. Influenza, aka the “flu” is a contagious viral infection that attacks your respiratory system. The CDC estimates the flu affects up to 35.6 million people...
Patient Spotlight: Lisa Emrich’s Difficult IV Placements
By Heather Michon | Nine times. That’s Lisa Emrich’s record for the number of attempted needle sticks to place an IV. In 2005, the freelance musician was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic condition where the body’s immune system eats away at the...
What Are Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAIs)?
By Ryan MacArthur | Recent studies have shed more light on the risk that comes with hospitalization. In fact, hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) affect up to 10% of patients in the United States each year. According to the CDC, hospital-acquired infections cost the...
What Do I Need to Know About PICC Lines?
By Ryan MacArthur | Healthcare providers use IV therapy thousands of times each day to provide patients with fluids, medication, blood and drugs. While peripheral IVs are the most common type patient’s receive, doctors and nurses also use Peripherally Inserted Central...
Is It Normal to Get a Bruise From an IV?
By Ryan MacArthur | Most of us have experienced a bruise from bumping our leg on a table or getting hit with a ball on the shoulder. But have you ever gotten a bruise from an IV? For patients receiving IV therapy, bruising around their IV site can be scary and...
What Does It Mean If I Have Rolling Veins?
By Heather Michon | Perhaps this has happened to you: you’re sitting there, patiently waiting for a nurse or technician to draw blood or start an IV, and they can’t quite hit the vein. They try again. And again. Then they explain that you have “rolling veins,” which...
myIV.com’s Parents IV Toolkit: A Must-Have When Your Child Has An IV
By Sue Carrington | As a parent, seeing your child in a hospital or doctor’s office can be scary. If your child needs an intravenous (IV) line, there is help to take a more active role when it comes to their IV. myIV.com's Parents IV Toolkit below includes the key...