Removing Air Bubbles from IV Lines (Nursing Skills)

Thank you so much for watching❤
If you enjoyed this video ▶Please leave a LIKE👍 ▶SHARE this video ▶【SUBSCRIBE】my channel for more new videos And click the BELL 🔔so you don't miss any of my videos HERE
ruclips.net/user/nurseminder....
You can support my work by purchasing your NurseMinder Merch teespring.com/stores/nursemin... (or click on merch pics under the video)
Or simply do your Amazon shopping after clicking on one of the links below
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you so much！ I appreciate you！♥♥
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nurses often prime IV lines with the hopes that there are no air bubbles. In this video, I will share a couple of tips to help reduce the risk or frequency of air bubbles during line priming. I will also talk about how to troubleshoot the air bubbles when they appear during an infusion
Providing patient care and influencing safe patient outcomes requires that registered nurses and licensed practice nurses maintain air free IV lines. Learn the strategies and tips to decrease the risk of air bubbles appearing in your primary or secondary medication line as well as troubleshooting tips to remove those alarming bubbles. Your patients will thank you!
Whether you are providing normal saline, a medication, or a combination, ensure that all fluids are compatible.
Supplies used in this video include the Alaris Primary Infusion line, alcohol swabs and a sterile 10 cc syringe ... and a nail in the wall :)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
❤️ ~ You may also be interested in watching ~ ❤️
PICC line assessment • PICC Line Assessment (...
How To Access a PICC line • How To Flush a PICC li...
Putting on Sterile Gloves • How to put on Sterile ...
Organizational Plans for Nursing • Organizational Plans f...
Medication Conversions • Medication Conversions...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
💻COMMENT in the description box below and share your ideas
👍 LIKE the video
🗣 SHARE with your friends
📥 SUBSCRIBE ... hit the BELL 🔔
Subscribe to NurseMinder ruclips.net/user/nurseminder....
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazon Affiliate Links
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Want to support me in another way? Enter Amazon through my links and continue to do your shopping. Simple and Easy Way to support the work I do.
The following list is the equipment I use (or if my version is no longer sold, a close replica).
📱 Phone 11 Cell Phone amzn.to/2WpOJfz
💻 MacBook Pro amzn.to/2YyxQC1
👉 Final Cut Video Editing software amzn.to/3fqlAd9
🎙️ Rode NT USB microphone (Audio Recording) for post-production voiceover amzn.to/2W2RJj1
👉 Neewer Professional Recording Stand - mount microphone and adjust positioning to keep it close but out of the camera’s view: amzn.to/3fjB4zs
👉 Manfrotto Tripod (hold cell phone) amzn.to/2YKGYUz
💡 Neewer Ring Light to reduce shadows and improve lighting. amzn.to/3dk5OP5
Disclaimer: I recommend only products that I know and trust to be of high quality. Links are provided for quick access. Some of the links contained in this checklist are affiliate links and I may receive a commission if make a purchase from the affiliate. This helps me to keep creating and offering free content.

[@DiUnadulteratedTruth]

The nail in the wall cracked me up. Nurses are very resourceful. We are very creative. I like it.

[@mercyissifu2232]

Very resourcful

[@SADzMega]

I'm a new grad and took a leap and began in CCU. I'm the first and only mew grad nurse there and this always happens. One more skill to help me feel more confident around all the more experienced nurses. Thank you!

[@NurseMinder]

Awesome and congrats on the new job!

[@daveedaju3265]

Thanks a lot Tammy.easy and simple demonstration for both new and seasoned nurses😊

[@viviancolongarcia6942]

Very informative and educational! Very easy to understand. As a brand new nurse this was VERY helpful. THANKS!

[@NurseMinder]

Awesome!! One of those things you learn on the job

[@odoemenastanley4723]

Very timely video for me, had rough time yesterday trying to get rid of bubbles in my IV. Thank you Tammy.

[@NurseMinder]

We have all had those days!

[@Tsunamii_Mamii13]

Thank you for sharing this wiseness & for adding some confidence to my soon to be off orienting being.
❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@kataang2895]

This is an EXCELLENT video! I'm a nursing student and you saved me so much time and frustration when dealing with air bubbles. Thank you for this!!!

[@NurseMinder]

Happy to help! 💕

[@annaelagina5997]

So educational. Thank you. Had so much trouble with Vancomycin bubbles in line. Took a lot of time and frustration.

[@kendranieuwendorp5511]

Aha! Clamp below! I got shown this trick in my preceptor but then didn't use my IV skills for over a year after I got my RN license so I forgot how to do it! I've been working in the hospital for 3 months now though and this will come in super handy. Thanks Tammy!

[@motionless_horizon]

I'm starting at home saline infusions and my training nurse never explained how to remove the bubbles. Thank you! I feel much more confident now

[@NurseMinder]

Awesome!!

[@natashak3387]

How has it been going Motionless_Horizon with infusions? I have a lot of experience with my ports and thankfully already getting most of what I need to do for my infusions. Thankfully, I have a diagram that I can look at just incase.

[@oluwaremiomodan8803]

This is very helpful. Thanks for sharing.

[@charlieclark3517]

As an undergrad nursing student working as a CNA, you are the BEST! Thank you!!!!!!!

[@NurseMinder]

Ahhhh! ☺️ thank you so much. I am delighted to hear the videos help

[@oObingOo]

This is a very helpful video. Thank you so much! 😊

[@jennafrantz8219]

Thank you so much for this video. Extremely helpful! I’m watching as a medical student - sometimes, in places that are extremely short-staffed in nurses, us medical students/doctors are expected to do nursing duties, but we of course have zero training in nursing 😬 thank you so much for providing this great resource so we can learn how to do things properly for the well-being of our patients!

[@NurseMinder]

Happy to help. Thanks for watching and being committed to patient care!

[@anniebarkevich6008]

This was helpful as I’m giving my husband iv meds at home. Thank you b

[@NurseMinder]

Happy to help!! I hope all is ok

[@nancasa1]

This was great! I graduate with my BSN in 6 months and I', still learning stuff I feel they should have taught early on.

[@NurseMinder]

Yes. Lots to learn in the job :)

[@Ruffles729]

Did you graduate? Literally me! I relate!

[@noranur-art8130]

Thank you for your videos it is very helpful.

[@fatemaal-saeed2246]

This is really helpful. THANK YOU!

[@NurseMinder]

You are welcome

[@jenanjuice2003]

Thank you! No one ever showed me how to remove them:( I’ve had a couple of annoying days lol. This will help

[@NurseMinder]

Glad I could help!

[@maytecanela1338]

I’m having those days now too get me so nervous I don’t have time for those bubbles!

[@jinri8456]

@@maytecanela1338 What else is your problem with the Iv? maybe we can help.

[@kennethlademora1414]

Simple steps to follow....thank you for sharing

[@NurseMinder]

Thanks for writing! 🙂

[@MarvzTalle]

finally, I found this video. Very informative and very helpful. thank you.

[@NurseMinder]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@lamyaalothman410]

Thanks a lot very helpful👍🏻❤️

[@ThePinkdivaprincess]

Thank you so much for this my Dad is starting infusion therapy at home and I am So Worried about these Bubbles!! U are now saved in my phone!! ❤❤❤

[@NurseMinder]

I hope all goes well with you dad ❤️

[@AH-le3py]

Excellent.. Dr Hussain

[@natashak3387]

Thank you so much for doing this! I have a lot of experience with my past port and current port care, but farely new to doing sodium chloride gravity bag infusions three times a week for my complicated health. Air bubbles sure can be the devil. I'm doing an infusion at home tomorrow morning and will use the tips you gave along with what I was taught. Thank you!

[@natashak3387]

I don't have a sterile and empty syringe so I have to manually get the bubbles to come out by unclamping which stinks because I waste some fluid.

[@khadijajulkanain8588]

Thank you very much! I truly appreciate your effort in making this video. I am a novice nurse and this is such a big help 😄.

[@rianariana446]

Thank you very much!! Very helpful and so much appreciated!!

[@NurseMinder]

You are welcome!

[@rahulmalviya1197]

Very well explained.

[@tktk7024]

Thank you so much❤️❤️❤️

[@milkyways13343]

This was so helpful, thank you!

[@NurseMinder]

So happy

[@lamyaalothman410]

I love your videos thanks

[@maricris1940]

Thank you very much!
This is a very big help for me!

[@NurseMinder]

You are welcome

[@teeaye_]

Great tips!!

[@helenmurage]

Thanks so much Tammy. May God bless you mightily. This is very helpful.

[@NurseMinder]

Thanks Helen :)

[@pizzagirl9908]

thank you so much! This was super helpful!

[@NurseMinder]

Happy to help!!!

[@lindaosagiede9683]

Thank you so much

[@luzmaldonado5951]

I loved your pump! Thank you.

[@NurseMinder]

You're so welcome!

[@heaterpistol6067]

I got bubbles in my IV line and my arm hurt. It was swollen. The nurse used saline flushes to pull bubbles out. As she did it my arm felt better. Nurses Rock !!

[@spitfire1815]

Isn’t it life threatening if that bubble you removed enters the body?

[@ryanfreeman7365]

I work as a nurse in a cardiothoracic icu and was bored one night and did some research on the topic. It’s interesting because the answer really depends on the circumstances but overall it takes ALOT of air for this to be dangerous, more than people think. Since we are talking IVs then we are talking veins and the research shows it takes 5ml/kg of air to have a noticeable air embolism which causes symptoms. 5ml/kg in someone who weighs 180 lbs is about 400 ml of air, that’s 40x 10 cc flushes worth of air or approximately 25 entire IV lines worth of air. This is virtually impossible to achieve by accident it would have to be purposeful to introduce that much air. However they did say in some cases they saw as little as 20 ml of air start to cause symptoms which would be about 1 and a half entire IV lines worth of air or 2 entire empty 10 cc syringes worth of air. In my practice this amount of air would also be virtually impossible to administer accidentally. I have never pushed an entire 10 cc syringe of air into a patient, let alone 2 whole syringes. Furthermore remember that air exists in your blood just in dissolved form. The majority of air is Nitrogen gas which would quickly dissolve into the blood in your veins. Same with gaseous oxygen which would be gobbled up by the hemoglobin in your blood. So to put it shortly, this issue is not as much as a problem as patients might think.
Now if we aren’t talking IVs and instead talking about arterial lines, that’s a lot more dangerous. As little as 2 mls of air showed in studies to be able to cause an air embolism in the brain (think stroke) which would be quite serious. But again in all my time in the ICU I’ve never even come close to accidentally administering 2 whole mls of air into an arterial line as we use closed systems for managing art lines at our hospital.

[@dragonwolf9435]

Well, perhaps things have changed since my training. Can small air bubble 1-2" in line cause seizures? Arterial or Venus line make a difference?

[@dragonwolf9435]

I have never seen swelling or pain because of small air bubble in line or pain and swelling dissipated because air bubble pulled out of line. All I can say is that they told us it would take far more air to actually go in because a two Inch bubble would be miniscule. Having said that there is something to be said about patient comfort. If they believe they can be harmed by the bubble there mental state can have adverse impact. And don't forget about the pesky alarm continuously beeping when it senses that small bubble!

[@dragonwolf9435]

8:41

[@DhanaLakshmi-ob5ey]

Thank you for your video and explanations🙂

[@NurseMinder]

You are welcome!

[@bibichelema6907]

Thx very much is really helpful

[@almilaadaaryoruk3400]

Thank you so much! That was really helpful 🌸

[@NurseMinder]

Happy to hear that :)

[@SaifulIslam-wm9kq]

Very helpful for me, thanks!

[@NurseMinder]

Awesome!!😊

[@elmieeltagonde9438]

so very helpful. Thank you for creating this video. God Bless 😇

[@NurseMinder]

Thanks for letting me know it was helpful

[@ZAHR274]

Thank you

[@makella3149]

Thanks so much for this tips. It takes me some good minutes to get air bubbles out of iv lines by disconnecting line from PT, taking the whole line out of the pump and run it out, then reinsert and connect it back to PT.🤣😅😭. I wish I have found this video sooner. Thanks so much.

[@NurseMinder]

The struggles are real! We have all had this happen to us

[@Mi0006]

right mind blown

[@lisaulloa6858]

Thanks Tammy!!!!

[@NurseMinder]

You’re welcome!😊

[@Scalaruby]

Thank you! I am having a bad days with bubbles and no one showed me how to remove. This is a big help.

[@NurseMinder]

Awesome. Happy to help and may you have fewer bad bubble days

[@attackofthewindmills]

Thank you!

[@NurseMinder]

Happy to help

[@arizzayanto3209]

veryyy informative as a student nurse :-))) thanks !

[@NurseMinder]

😊

[@sublimesamoyed]

Thank you SO much!

[@thetrilingualnursernbsn3458]

ruclips.net/video/ea-gZeLnnZQ/видео.html

[@scubatravel7846]

Great tips! I'm a baby nurse (as in New nurse lol not OB) And your videos have been a lot of help

[@NurseMinder]

You got this!

[@mohommeddahir876]

Me too

[@Ruffles729]

Same helpful as a new grad!

[@shalizwilliams-pierre2694]

Absolutely AWESOME

[@NurseMinder]

Thank you

[@ecwest923]

😊 This will be helpful as a new nurss.

[@sherrystutts2132]

Thank y’all for the video it helps me a lot

[@NurseMinder]

Thanks 😊 for sharing

[@pshtiwanhassan8398]

Thanks for lesson

[@NurseMinder]

Thanks for watching ☺️

[@nonorefaat2136]

thanks

[@VernessaBloom]

Awesome!!

[@mariavioletamaquiling6146]

thank you!

[@NurseMinder]

You are welcome!

[@thaingamliurongmei1984]

It was great thank you

[@NurseMinder]

Thank you for watching

[@facecharm1465]

Great video ❤

[@NurseMinder]

Thank you!!

[@chaucerflanders7918]

Thank you , you are so lovely x

[@NurseMinder]

Thank you

[@nursesdiary4256]

Useful 😊👍

[@icencoolj4869]

Thank you so much. Nice tips.

[@NurseMinder]

🥳

[@MrEWinHK]

Great video! What if the IV line does not have the 2way Y-port, but just I port connected to patient? Thanks!

[@NurseMinder]

You will need to add a needless connector or, depending on your resources, a blunt end connector to the IV catheter so you can disconnect without the patient bleeding. Then let the fluid run through the line until bubbles are gone. If it medication, try to time the bubble removal to when the bubble is closer to hub to prevent loss of medication

[@izae.2144]

Thank you! :)

[@NurseMinder]

You are welcome

[@FarhanAli-cq5mo]

Thank you mem

[@bandanakhatri8586]

Very useful ❤️Thank you

[@NurseMinder]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dalaisand8440]

You are amazing!!

[@NurseMinder]

So are you!

[@cezdizon1229]

Good job

[@bellaV_1989]

Very helpful.. thanks

[@NurseMinder]

great to hear

[@luisarashirovideo]

thank you

[@NurseMinder]

You’re welcome

[@bawizamential6713]

I have subscribed 😍😍 Thankyou Tammy😇😊

[@NurseMinder]

Thank you!!

[@irisys7905]

this is very helpful!

[@thetrilingualnursernbsn3458]

ruclips.net/video/ea-gZeLnnZQ/видео.html

[@aminainnocentnacy3536]

U are just perfect weldone 👌💖

[@NurseMinder]

thank you

[@adamrj7286]

great to the point easy explanation video on this thank you

[@NurseMinder]

You are welcome 🤗

[@EllenParaguya-pk9bv]

thank you so much it is very helpful,I am a new grad RN

[@NurseMinder]

Congrats on your new career 🤩

[@margaretprawl313]

I was about to ask about what if it a small bag of critical med. that you don't want to lose; however you answered that question! Great video. I am a new RN so I love to watch these videos.

[@NurseMinder]

Yeah! Thanks for watching

[@chrisgurl3043]

Thanks

[@NurseMinder]

😊

[@mariacullati2371]

Thank you.

[@NurseMinder]

You are welcome

[@jovelleasuncion2952]

thank you mam🥰🥰🥰

[@thetrilingualnursernbsn3458]

ruclips.net/video/ea-gZeLnnZQ/видео.html

[@misslildutch]

Very helpful I gotta say! I’m scared of air embolism.

[@dannibble]

Don't be. Go follow anesthesia for a day and pay attention to their lines. They never prime and always have air. Unless you're pushing 30+cc of air its not gonna kill anyone.

[@signolineumuraza3192]

Thank u so much

[@NurseMinder]

You are welcome

[@godschild7393]

Thanks a lot.

[@NurseMinder]

You are welcome

[@senaitnegash6113]

Wow that is smart I always worry when it it is medicine

[@alaahussain9677]

you saved livess sis

[@NurseMinder]

Awesome!!!

[@ttanner140]

You don’t need to bend the tubing at the top chamber when priming line, roller clamp should be closed so there will be no fluid movement until unclamped. Also when removing bubbles/ medication, you can just push med back into port, bubbles will rise to top, just be sure not to push the whole syringe back in.

[@seraphine7677]

👍🏻

[@NurseMinder]

Yes you are right bubbles will rise to the top - most of the time - and then they sit in the port until the next time the hub is accessed and they are potentially pushed back into the IV line. Best practice is to remove them
If you have a line with the backflow stopper, fluids cannot be pushed back up to the IV bag as the retrograde movement is blocked at the stopper - unless you have a secondary line, in which case the fluid will move backwards
Not knowing exactly what your process is - I also want to take a moment to talk about IV push - med admin via this route should never be used to backprime. Iv push is to be controlled and if you back prime, it may change the rate of med admin as you no longer control the portion backprimed (and then there is compatibility to look at as well)

[@aminainnocentnacy3536]

You are so lovely and amazing nurse keep it up sis in teamwork ❤️👌

[@NurseMinder]

😊 thank you

[@thetrilingualnursernbsn3458]

ruclips.net/video/ea-gZeLnnZQ/видео.html

[@diksha3267]

Thanks mam ❣️😊

[@NurseMinder]

You are welcome!

[@chahrazedzioui1217]

Thank youuu so much

[@NurseMinder]

💕

[@Tamara07]

This is great! Thank you so much!

[@NurseMinder]

Thanks for watching ❤️

[@gracemuthama5941]

very useful information

[@NurseMinder]

Thanks!

[@lezelladroma9203]

Great! Thank you again Tammy I once watched your other video very informative...Question: so if you take out the line nearest to the patient to get the bubbles and place it back, the same thing 15secs disinfecting is it both ports end?

[@NurseMinder]

No you don't want to use alcohol swab on the open end of the IV - keep it sterile when you detach it - let the fluid flush through and then reattach. If the business end of the IV line touches anything - it is contaminated.

[@lezelladroma9203]

@@NurseMinder thank you for the info.

[@ceciliawaigwe3185]

Very helpful also Could you do a video showing the drop rate inside the chamber given an order with drops/min tks

[@NurseMinder]

I will add it to my list

[@tanakanicekill9744]

If you have a gravity drip how would you places? I have POTS and im about to start home infusions, mine will probably last longer than 2 hours so since I don't know if I will have a pump or a drip...what would happen if I had to go somewhere? can we put it inside a book bag with a clip the same way you can if you had a pump?

[@NurseMinder]

The gravity bags need elevation- gravity is the forces that causes the fluid to flow. If you have a gravity IV, and the bag is on your desk, for example, then your blood will travel up the line because the pressure inside your vessel will be higher than that pull in the bag from gravity

[@jessicanewman6727]

Also wanted to ask if the extension with the negative pressure clave is absolutely needed or can i attach the tubing directly to the catheters hub?

[@NurseMinder]

It can be attached directly to the hub

[@daizzyang5262]

How to push iv when the fluid in it doesn't work.? Like the drop let is not working.

[@NurseMinder]

If the IV line does not flush - is this what you mean?

[@sv2253]

This is so helpful! My father is on antibiotics and I'm so paranoid I'm giving him his IV incorrectly. ❤❤ thank you very much!!!

[@NurseMinder]

Awesome :). I hope your father is okay

[@sv2253]

@@NurseMinder thank you!! I hope you stay safe during these times 🌻⚘

[@mdkawserahmed]

Great!!!

[@NurseMinder]

😊

[@yesiamanursecom]

Informative

[@NurseMinder]

yes!

[@iliyanazulkifli]

I thought that air bubbles in drip is scary and dangerous, so when I saw them in mine I freaked out. But the nurses here are pretty chill about it and took their time to check on it.

[@b.hlutei8233]

Same here

[@jeeladea2009]

Same here🥺

[@kwesipolley6453]

It’s deadly as it can cause death within seconds

[@martialartsaddicted5969]

@@kwesipolley6453 Venous air embolism you mean?

[@BoogieDownProduction]

@@kwesipolley6453 Unless you have a congenital heart issue or you're injecting a TON of air - no it cant.