FirstSpear TV

Kit Badger – How To Insert An IV Catheter

Kit Badger has produced a video on how to start an IV catheter.

So as to not steal their thunder, the video is at the link. However, I want to remind everyone that you should not practice medical procedures without proper training, particularly invasive procedures.  

kitbadger.com/inserting-an-iv-catheter

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27 Responses to “Kit Badger – How To Insert An IV Catheter”

  1. Lasse says:

    This is not the stuff you should learn from youtube…

    • Kit Badger says:

      We’re just shy of 2017, there are no gatekeepers for knowledge anymore…

      • Gilk10180 says:

        This.

        • Yogi says:

          when i was in the army i learned to set an IV and use the FAST-1 in about a day during a 4 week medical course.
          obviously with extensive training on both procedures “dry” and live over the coming days/weeks and for the rest of my “career” as an army medic.
          They are not difficult procedures at all.

          HOWEVER, as a medical student now in 2016 i will say that starting to feed the “youtube tactical scene” with how-to videos on doing invasive procedures is probably not a good idea.
          If you can attend training by former medics, go for it.
          But if someone is trying to make a point like; well not everybody has money to get medical training bla bla, then you don’t have the money for proper medical gear either, or money to train procedures like these on a regular enough basis to be proficient.
          Not to mention that not having training in hygiene aspects of such procedures might have interesting results on its own.
          If you are planning on buying some gear, looking at a youtube video and then feel proficient enough to carry this gear around, good luck when you have to do such a procedure under stress on a patient in shock.
          If you are planning on viewing the same video and then training on your friend, good luck to your friend.

          How about the fact that using an IV might worsen the situation for the patient is some cases, and might bleed out faster due to the heightened blood pressure? would you feel competent enough to do an assessment like that after watching this video?
          There are enough people out there that think that a tourniquet would be the go to for the smallest of extremity bleeds, those same people do not need to be given encouragement to go and stick needles in people.

          Personally i am glad there are laws preventing such invasive procedures being done by unskilled people in the country that i live, but that just my opinion.

      • Lasse says:

        My point is that if you are serious about developing your first aid skillset, then you should seek out proper training. Just like you attend a class to improve your gun handling instead of watching Instructor Zero or Tex Grebner..

        That the info is out in the open is fine, I have no issues with that. But I do have an issue with people who always want to do the “just as good” approach. Do it proper or don’t do it at all.

        • Kit Badger says:

          I think maybe it comes down to learning style. My buddy’s period of instruction is the exact same as he gives to his new Nurses coming into the ER. The difference is that he is on the screen rather than next to you. Conversely, unless it is super well written, I have a hell of a time pulling information out of a book…

          • Yogi says:

            i just don’t see why videos like this should need to be presented like “common knowledge”.
            i have nothing against video learning, i use that myself almost every day, both for theory stuff and practical stuff.
            But those videos should be given in context with a class on the subject.
            when you start slacking the perceived requirements for doing stuff like this, some people ARE going to go into the deep end with it, like with everything else.
            If you use the vid to get a refresher or whatever, yeah fine, but people should not be lead to believe that watching youtube videos makes them some sort of EMT professional, and thats probably where its going to go if this “trend” gets rolling..

            Get a class to understand the procedures and theory behind its use, and some good gear, thats my advice..

            • daggert says:

              When I take a formal class, half the info is video or online anyways. For skills like these nothing beats hands on experience. Your practice buddy will let you know if you’ve mistaken a nerve or tendon for a vein.

    • Mike says:

      Lasse is right, this knowledge should be learned in the barracks at 0300 when you’re completely shit faced just before starting a road march. First on your drunk buddy and then on yourself in the foot because you don’t trust him because it just took you 3-4 tries on him and this arms now resemble those of a heroin addict.

  2. Bobby Davro says:

    Well it’s no worse than the videos on Utd except of sternal IO and some pretty ropey “instructional” videos of how to use haemostatics and bravo for the caveats with the post

  3. Homer says:

    No mention of inserting the catheter beveled side up? Implying that the proper Tx for a buddy bleeding at the range is an IV? I’m not trying to be snarky and I have no reason to doubt the nurse’s quals but these seem to be nontrivial oversights.

    If the caveats outweigh the POI, why broadcast the video in the first place?

  4. Ville says:

    I’m an ER RN / active reserve TCCC instructor. IMHO: The most usefull life-saving skill to have in the range is:

    Stopping life-threatening bleeding. Train it & hone it untill you master it and maintain that skill level in refreshment training. Know the location of the MEDkit, check the contents if you’re not familiar with where they are in the kit. If you’re not familiar with the critical products: emergency bandage & tourniquet (+ optional hemostatic agent) learn how to use those particular products effectively.

    It’s of no use to be a master in IV catheter insertion if you cannot stop massive bleeding fast and effectively. IV volume (fluid) support is not even needed if the blood volume level is is sufficient to retain the vital functions of the body.

    One can get sepsis via IV catheter insertion even in university hospital specialist unit setting, even when all the proper hygiene procedures are followed and the insertion is done by a pro like miself.

    Do not get yourself or your buddy killed by practicing the IV catheter insertion A) outside B) without a professional personally eyeballing your actions. Catching sepsis can be fatal even when you’re an inpatient at the most advanced medical facility in the world and you’re treated with the best antibiotics. Don’t catch it.

    End of the rant.

  5. Tore H says:

    Establishing IV access is not the hard part.

    The issue is the rest of the knowledge surrounding IV fluid resuscitation or IV administration of medication, which needs to be covered first. This spans everything from basic A&P of the circulatory system, indicators of shock, indicators for fluid treatment, various fluids used and so forth.

    And there are tons of steps that should come before establishing IV access.

    Knowing how to stick a catheter into a vein is useless knowledge in a vacuum.

  6. Steve says:

    The biggest issue with this is not the presentation of information, but rather the lack of a qualified instructor to provide supervision and immediate feedback not only on incorrect technique, but potentially life threatening errors.

  7. Kit Badger says:

    I appreciate everyone’s feedback. Hopefully some of the points you’ve brought up will be covered in the other videos in this series we are doing. Since I’m not putting out videos for mandatory viewing, these aren’t all encompassing hour and a half mind-numbing videos.

    I am competing for short attention spans, so I try and bring content that is concise, relevant, easy to consume and hopefully entertaining. Some may be appear as snapshots and require deeper digging on the viewers behalf. Which is, the pursuit of knowledge…

  8. Chris says:

    While the skill and technique is one thing. The tools needed to do this skill require a prescription to purchase. Yes, you can find an Angiocath, 1000cc of NS and tubing if you look hard enough, but the simple fact is purchasing Normal Saline (as part of an IV or IO infusion, NOT in a bottle for flushing) is illegal without a prescription or medical oversight. Angiocath’s are the same (including needle decompression caths), many places will sell them by you just checking a box, some places require a Medical Device Authorization form be signed by a doctor.

    This skill is also beyond the scope of most people. Doing it will pretty much open you up to liability. I don’t think the Good Samaritan law will provide protection acting so far out of your scope. As said above, this is not something that needs to be presented as common knowledge, not every layperson should be able to do this. What’s next, chest tubes, ET Intubation?

  9. Darkhorse says:

    I’ve got an idea for all the internet weirdos that wanna be ninjas:

    JOIN THE MILITARY AND BE A REAL COMMANDO!

    YOU WILL GET PAID WELL TO BE A COMMANDO AND ALL THE COOL GEAR TOO!

    YOU WILL SHOOT A LOT!

    YOU WILL GET MEDICAL TRAINING!

  10. Jose Gonell says:

    Knowing that I had two people stick me in Combat Life takers, err savers, course in the 90s and have to press on my vein to stop the squirting (yes it does squirt), I’ll stick to non-video training.

    But things have changed since the 90s, just looks easier now when I get stuck by Nurses or it’s probably because they are rubbing their boobs on me or I’m just looking down their shirts, not sure..

  11. Sean says:

    I am a licensed and practicing paramedic. A lot of excellent points have been covered in the preceding comments. The most important points that I would like to re-itterate, are that the most important step is to stop bleeding. It has been proven in the vast majority of cases BASIC life support care is what will save lives. This means direct pressure, and tourniquet application. IV insertion in an ADVANCED life support skill. To even be qualified to do this in the EMS setting you need to be at a minimum an EMT-Advanced. Not a basic first aid trained person, not a CPR trained person, not even an EMT-basic. EMT-Advanced! Someone mentioned that in order to use an IV procedure effectively, you need to understand volume replenishment as well as IV medication administration. Another person mentioned that it needed to be addressed that the bevel of the needle in the catheter needs to be facing up as well as free of burrs. One other nit pick point that I would make about this video is that the video is showcasing a 20g IV. In a situation that involves trauma, the smallest acceptable size of catheter is an 18g, and it is preferable that you have two IVs established. With all of that being said, I love videos as much as the next person, and I am sure that the nurse is skilled, licensed, and knows what he is talking about. I just believe that it should have been mentioned that with performing a skill that you are not licensed in on a person will open you up to a whole host of legal issues.

    • Sean says:

      To clarify, SSD DID mention that you should not practice medical procedures without proper training, I just think that it should have been addressed in the video as well.

    • Buckaroomedic says:

      Well stated Sean! I too am a Licensed Paramedic here in the great state of Texas. I agree with everything you stated. I’ve been a medic since the mid ’80’s and I still, to this very day, see well trained, long-time street medics starting ALS procedures before BLS is even verified or established. Way too many medical professionals take the “gunslinger” approach to medicine; just another cool procedure they got to do on some poor sap.

      Luckily for us, most of these patients survive no matter what the medics do to them!

  12. Buckaroomedic says:

    Watched the video, liked the music and the amazing scenery . . .

    I liked how “Seth” was constantly talking about keeping everything clean, but immediately after flushing the saline lock he just threw it down on the rock! Didn’t place it in the open start kit or anything.

    I hope Kit Badger and Seth have really good lawyers for when some knucklehead starts an IV on his buddy, or God forbid, some injured stranger and everything gets FUBAR.

    The “Good Samaritan” laws only cover those who act as any reasonable and prudent person would to save life, limb or eyesight and who provide care they are trained to do.

    Now Kit Bager; when’s the video on how to intubate coming out?

  13. Marcus says:

    Don’t make you fit your kit, make your kit fit you. If you are a trained medic put an I.v set to your kit. If not… not. Well, I mean, it’s not a kind of magic starting an iv line. But even if you’re able to, are you even able to decide when your patient really need one? Are you sure in selecting the right solution ? Are you able to perform it even under stress and hostile circumstances?
    I don’t think so. It you’re just a first aider, it doesn’t mean anything bad. Be a good first aider. You can save more lives with a pressure dressing, a tourniquet , a hemostat when applied right at the right time then you can do with an iv line.
    Leave the veins in good condition for the medics who can handle it. Myself I also wouldn’t see myself in a firefight against an opposing sniper as I’m just a medic:)