Advanced IV Calculations and Administration

This unit advances students’ medication calculation skills and practical IV therapy competencies, focusing on infusion setup, continuous medications (insulin, heparin), blood transfusion basics, and emergency responses. It builds on foundational dosage math and prepares learners to manage complex IV regimens, monitor patients, and document care prior to the culminating unit.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze medication orders, prescription charts, abbreviations, ratios, and metric conversions to accurately calculate drug dosages, millilitres to draw, and body-weight–based titrations.
• Apply IV therapy principles and equipment knowledge to set up infusions, program and verify infusion pump rates (mL/hr and drops/min), and prepare continuous infusions such as insulin and heparin.
• Demonstrate safe administration and procedural techniques including aseptic injection/central line access, blood transfusion steps, use of correct equipment, and immediate management of anaphylaxis events.
• Evaluate patient assessment data, fluid charts, and infusion site findings to identify IV-related complications, implement appropriate precautions or adjustments, and document interventions according to clinical protocols.