Final answer:
When initiating IV therapy in an older adult, the nurse should safely remove excess hair, select a suitable venipuncture site, use a blood pressure cuff to distend veins, and consider fluid dynamics for proper IV bag placement.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a nurse is preparing to initiate IV therapy for an older adult client, the following actions should generally be taken: use a gentle method to remove any excess hair on the extremity, such as clippers instead of a disposable razor which can irritate the skin; select an appropriate venipuncture site, which can include the back of the client’s hand if it has accessible veins, although care must be taken in older adults whose skin and veins may be more fragile; distend the veins to facilitate cannulation, which can be done by using a blood pressure cuff but should be inflated to a pressure less than the diastolic blood pressure, rather than stopping blood flow completely; and, although often recommended, asking the client to raise his arm above his heart is not always necessary and may be uncomfortable for some older adults.
Specifically, in terms of fluid dynamics and placement of the IV bag, the height of the IV bag above the entry point into the arm is a critical factor that must be considered to ensure proper fluid flow based on the principles of gravity and pressure. For the fluid to enter the arm, the IV bag must be placed at an adequate height, commonly more than 0.24 meters above the entry point to facilitate the flow.