For IV therapy, which practice most reduces the risk of infiltration?

• A. Verify catheter patency and secure the line
• B. Monitor the IV site after every use
• C. Use a smaller catheter
• D. Flush the line after medications only if it leaks

Answer: (A)

Preventing IV infiltration comes from keeping the catheter in the vein and functioning properly. Verifying patency means confirming the line is unobstructed and flows easily—flush with saline and observe easy advancement of fluid with no resistance, and check for blood return if appropriate. When patency is assured, you know the IV is delivering into the bloodstream rather than pooling in surrounding tissue. Securing the line minimizes movement; a well-secured catheter is less likely to migrate, dislodge, or become kinked as the patient moves, coughs, or shifts position. This combination directly reduces the main pathways that lead to infiltration.

Ongoing site monitoring is important, but without a patent, freely flowing line and securement, infiltration risk remains higher because the line can still fail or move between checks. Using a smaller catheter isn’t inherently protective and can raise other issues, and flushing only after medications leak isn’t a preventive approach to infiltration.