IV therapy skills lab for students
Get your IV skills signed off with steady hands.
Practice on IV arms and patient manikins, then demonstrate each skill for a nurse educator. You leave with a signed check-off sheet and the confidence to do it on a real patient.
What you'll demonstrate
Six skills, in the order you'd do them at the bedside
Each skill is a line on your check-off sheet. Open one to see what the evaluator watches for. Tick the skills you've practiced to track your progress.
Excel Medic Training Center
Skills validation record · IV therapy
- Student
- Date
- Evaluator
-
1
What the evaluator watches for
- Order is complete: solution or drug, dose, rate, route and frequency.
- Two identifiers, such as full name and date of birth, checked against the wristband and the order.
- Patient states their name and date of birth aloud when able.
- Allergies confirmed, procedure explained, hand hygiene performed.
-
2
What the evaluator watches for
- Site chosen distal first, away from joints and flexion areas.
- Tourniquet applied, skin scrubbed with chlorhexidine and allowed to dry. No touching the site after prep.
- Vein anchored, bevel up at a shallow angle, flashback seen, catheter advanced and safety engaged.
- Tourniquet released, line flushed, site secured with a transparent dressing, sharps disposed.
-
3
What the evaluator watches for
- Rate calculated correctly in mL/hr and checked against the order.
- Tubing primed with no air, secondary bag hung higher than the primary.
- Primary and secondary rates and volumes entered in the right channel, drug library used.
- Line traced from bag to patient before starting.
-
4
What the evaluator watches for
- Mask on, hand hygiene, old dressing removed toward the insertion site.
- Site assessed and external catheter length checked against the record.
- Sterile field kept, chlorhexidine scrub dried, new dressing labeled with date, time and initials.
- Hub scrubbed, primed needleless connector attached, line flushed per policy.
-
5
What the evaluator watches for
- Drug, dose, dilution and push rate checked against a current reference.
- Hub scrubbed and line flushed to confirm patency.
- Medication pushed over the required time using a watch or timer, not by feel.
- Flush given at the same rate, patient watched for a reaction.
-
6
What the evaluator watches for
- Date, time, site, catheter gauge and length, and number of attempts recorded.
- Solution, rate and patient tolerance charted.
- Site assessed with a standard phlebitis and infiltration scale.
- Objective wording, no blank fields, late entries marked as late entries.
0 of 6 practiced
How a lab day runs
Practice first. Check-off when you're ready.
- Pre-briefReview the order sets, the supplies and the steps on your sheet.
- Guided practiceWork each skill on IV arms and manikins with an educator coaching you. Repeat until it's smooth.
- Check-offDemonstrate each skill start to finish. The educator marks each line met or not yet met.
- DebriefGo over what went well and what to fix. Leave with your signed record.
Who it's for
Students who want more reps before clinicals
- Nursing students in RN and LPN programs preparing for an IV check-off
- New graduates who want practice before orientation
- Allied health students who start IVs in their scope of practice
- Schools booking a group session for a cohort
Bring with you
Scrubs, closed-toe shoes, a photo ID, and your program's check-off form if it has its own.
Questions
Do I need any IV experience before I come?
No. Guided practice starts from the basics. If you've already started IVs, you'll spend more of the day on check-off.
Is this a license or a certification?
No. It's hands-on practice and a documented skills validation. It doesn't replace your license, your program's requirements, or the competency checks your hospital will do when you're hired.
Do I practice on real people?
No. All skills are done on IV training arms and patient manikins, so you can repeat a step as many times as you need.
What if I don't pass a skill?
The line is marked "not yet met." You practice it again with an educator and repeat the check-off.
Can my school book a session for a whole class?
Yes. Use the form below, choose "School or group booking," and tell us the class size and dates you have in mind.
Reserve a seat
Tell us when you'd like to come in
Send your details and preferred dates. We'll reply by email to confirm your session.