How should a nurse document a client's IV catheter site that shows signs of redness, warmth, and pain?

Documenting the IV catheter site accurately is crucial for proper patient care. In this scenario, the signs of redness, warmth, and pain at the catheter site indicate that the patient might be experiencing phlebitis, which is inflammation of the vein. This condition commonly occurs due to irritation from the catheter, mechanical trauma, or chemical irritation from the solution being infused.

Phlebitis is characterized by symptoms such as tenderness, swelling, redness along the vein, and warmth at the site. Therefore, identifying these symptoms as phlebitis helps ensure that appropriate interventions can be initiated, such as assessing the need for catheter removal, applying warm compresses, and monitoring for further complications.

Documenting the site as infiltrated would not be accurate because infiltration refers specifically to the leakage of intravenous fluids into the surrounding tissue, which is associated with swelling and coolness rather than warmth and redness. Documenting it as an infection would also be misleading because infections are typically accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fever and purulent drainage, which are not mentioned in this case. Lastly, marking it as a normal IV site reaction would downplay the symptoms present, which warrant further evaluation and possibly intervention.

Thus, accurately documenting the site as phlebitis ensures the