How to give an IV push medication
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
IV push drugs reach the heart and brain within seconds. Pushing too fast or into a blocked line is a common and avoidable source of harm.
What you need
- Medication in a labeled syringe
- Saline flushes
- Alcohol or antiseptic caps
- Watch with a second hand
Step by step
Check the order and drug guide
Confirm drug, dose and route, then look up the push time, the dilution and whether it is compatible with fluids already running. [1]
Identify and explain
Use two identifiers and check allergies. Tell the patient what the drug is for and what they may feel. [2]
Check the IV site
Look and feel for redness, swelling, coolness or pain. Do not use a site that looks infiltrated or inflamed. [3]
Scrub the hub and flush
Clean your hands, scrub the port with antiseptic for several seconds and let it dry. Flush with saline to confirm the line runs freely. [3]
Push on time
Give the drug at the rate in the drug guide, timing it with a watch. Watch the patient and the site the whole time. [1]
Flush after
Flush with saline at the same slow rate so the drug left in the line is not pushed in all at once. [3]
Monitor and document
Check the expected effect and side effects, such as blood pressure or breathing. Record drug, dose, time, rate and response. [1]
Common errors
- Pushing faster than the drug guide allows.
- Skipping the hub scrub before accessing the line.
- Pushing two drugs through the line without flushing between them.
Practice it in VMS
In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
- Open RN, Nursing Pharmacology 2e (CC BY 4.0)
- The Joint Commission, National Patient Safety Goals
- Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) (CC BY 4.0)
Steps adapted from Open RN, Nursing Pharmacology 2e and Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College), licensed under CC BY 4.0. VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.