How To Select the Right IV Site
( 1 ) This is a 24-gauge catheter. Notice that there is a needle inside the plastic catheter tube. Your Liberty IV paramedic will choose the best region for the catheter, or medicine straw as we call it in the pediatric units. They will inspect the anterior aspect of the elbow joint where several veins are located just below the surface of the skin. They will also look distal to the elbow where veins present with easy & visible access down to the hands and even fingers. Your paramedic in North Texas will discuss options, learn of past or access, consider the treatment flow rate, and determine the access point based on a visual inspection of the veins.
IV Needle & IV Catheter
( 2 ) Don't worry, after your Liberty IV paramedic cleans and disinfects the area, they'll carefully insert the needle into your vein and then remove it from the center of the catheter. This leaves a flexible and hollow plastic tube behind, which is called a catheter, to administer the IV fluids. This particular catheter is a little bit longer and more expensive than others, but it has a built-in safety feature to lock the needle in the hub and prevent any accidental sticks. We believe that our clients and providers in Texas are worth the extra cost to ensure their safety.
IV Catheter is Flexible
( 3 ) Did you know that this IV catheter is designed to be flexible and hollow? It's 19 mm long, which makes it perfect for short-term treatments like IV hydration therapy. If you're going to be in the hospital for a longer period of time, or are receiving treatment in a trauma unit, you might be using a longer catheter. Either way, our team at Liberty IV is here to make sure you get the best possible care and support during your treatment.
Feeling the IV Catheter
( 4 ) Don't worry, the process of getting an IV may seem intimidating, but our trained Liberty IV paramedics in Texas are here to make it as comfortable and safe as possible. Our catheters are flexible, hollow, and measure 19 mm long, making them perfect for brief durations of IV hydration therapy. We also use a plastic adhesive dressing to secure the catheter and prevent it from moving around. One of the most frustrating parts of getting an IV is removing the sticky tape from the skin, but we use flow-blocking catheters that have a one-time secure valve that prevents blood from flowing in or out until the safety valve seal is properly broken. Rest assured that we prioritize safety in all of our IV therapy services.
Michael Lickteig, along with his wife Melissa, built Liberty IV Infusion Therapy to serve the North Texas community. Both Michael and Melissa are Nationally Registered Paramedics licensed in the State of Texas, and both hold National Board Certification as Certified Flight Paramedics. Their careers in emergency medicine span more than a decade working in prehospital emergency 911 and critical care transport, as well as on staff inside some of North Texas’ busiest emergency/trauma units serving both adult and pediatric populations.. Michael holds an MBA from the University of North Texas and Melissa a BS degree from the University of Texas Arlington. The Lickteig family has strong ties to the military and has established partnerships with retired veterans and first responder organizations dedicated to reducing the occurrence of suicide in these vulnerable groups. Their goal is to make care available and affordable to veterans, first responders, or anyone else who is struggling with chronic pain, TBI, or PTSD throughout the North Texas Region.
Melissa Lickteig NRP, LP, FP-C, BS
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