Final answer:
The nurse aide should notify the IV nurse upon noticing blood in a patient's IV tubing, as this is not a normal occurrence and could lead to serious complications. It is critical to take quick action to prevent potential catheter-related bloodstream infections.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a nurse aide notices blood in a patient's IV tubing, the proper course of action is to notify the IV nurse immediately. It is not normal for blood to be present in the IV tubing, and such a situation could indicate a potential complication, such as a reversed flow of blood into the IV system, which may lead to a catheter-related bloodstream infection.
According to the World Health Organization, there are up to 80,000 catheter-related bloodstream infections annually in the US, leading to about 20,000 deaths. Therefore, immediate action is necessary to prevent any adverse outcomes. The nurse aide should not attempt to flush the tubing or stop the IV without guidance from a nurse or physician, as this may exacerbate the issue or cause harm to the patient.
The aide could also be involved in preparing the correct dilution of medication, such as KCl. This would involve drawing up a concentrated stock solution using a syringe and injecting it into an IV bag containing a sterile solution to achieve the proper concentration. Thus, besides observing and reporting, a nurse aide may perform a dilution calculation as part of their responsibilities.