Intravenous Piggyback (IVPB) is a method of administering secondary medications through an existing IV line, typically over a short period. These medications are delivered intermittently, often diluted in a small IV bag and infused at a controlled rate. Proper calculation of IVPB infusion rates is crucial to ensure the correct medication dose is administered within the prescribed time frame.
This section covers the principles of IVPB administration, with examples on how to calculate flow and dosage rates, ensuring safe and accurate medication delivery.
Clients can receive a second infusion using an IV piggyback line hung alongside the first. Usually, a secondary IV interrupts the administration of the primary IV medication. The primary IV resumes after the secondary IV has finished. Since the two lines do not mix, we only need to calculate the flow and dosage rates for the secondary line.