Question

With which complication of the administration of intravenous fluids should the nurse slow the rate of flow of the infusion rather than stop the infusion and remove the catheter?

1. Infiltration
2. Extravasation
3. Inflamed vein
4. Fluid overload

Answer 1

If a patient experiences fluid overload, a nurse should slow the infusion rate rather than stopping it entirely and removing the catheter, to better manage the patient's fluid balance while continuing necessary treatment.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a nurse encounters a complication with the administration of intravenous fluids, deciding whether to slow the rate of flow of the infusion or stop the infusion and remove the catheter depends on the type of complication. If a patient experiences fluid overload, the nurse should slow down the infusion rather than stopping it and removing the catheter.

Fluid overload occurs when too much fluid is infused into the vasculature, and by slowing the infusion, the nurse can manage the fluid balance more effectively without abruptly discontinuing the fluid administration that the patient may still need. Situations like infiltration, where the fluid leaks into the surrounding tissue, extravasation, where the fluid contains medications that can cause damage if they leak into tissue, or an inflamed vein would typically require stopping the infusion and removing the catheter to avoid further injury or complications.