Length of Peripheral IV

[tdub]

Im currently in the middle of a hospital stay, and the weirdest thing happened. Normally I get a picc, but this time my drs recomended me just going for the peripheral iv instead which I decided on since I wasn't exactly sure how long I would be in this time. Also It is hard to get an iv on me veins roll and what not and usually they last maybe two days, I had a stay where I needed a new one every day. I'm on my 11th day and I have only had two IVs so far. The first one lasted 5 days, and now I have the 2nd which I have now had for 6 days, and it is not sore, red, no signs of infiltration. Just wondering how long these things are good for, if I should let the nurse put a new one in ( which I told her no earlier ) or am I just fine keeping this one as long as there are no signs of infiltration?

 

[jaimers]

peripheral IVs usually lasted anywhere from 1 dose up to several doses for me. so never very long. as long as it doesn't hurt you and isn't showing any signs of infiltration or anything like that it's probably fine! I'm really surprised they opted for that since the dosages for IVs are so strong and it seems a little bit unnecessary to make you go through getting a new IV every day when they could put in a PICC and be done with it.