Calaid Home Healthcare, LLC medical professionals are trained to administer IV medications as a single dose or as an infusion over a period of many hours.
An intravenous injection may be done to provide patients with:
- A steroid such as dexamethasone
- Chemotherapy
- Blood or blood products
- Fluid solutions and electrolytes to address dehydration
- Iron to address a severe iron deficiency
- Contrast dye during a special imaging test
- Monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 treatment
- Local and general anesthesia to before surgery or other procedure
- Pain medications in the emergency room or after surgery
- Nutrition to address severe malnourishment
IV injections may be done at the following sites or areas where veins lie close to the patient’s skin:
- Back of the hands
- Front elbow pit
- Front and back of the lower arm
Other Types of Injections
Calaid Home Healthcare, LLC employees may also provide the following types of injections:
- Intramuscular injections
- Intradermal injections
- Subcutaneous injections
- Intraosseous injections
Potential Risks And Side Effects
After an injection, patients may experience the following rare adverse effects:
- Fainting
- An allergic reaction
- Nausea, vomiting, or dizziness
- Persistent or severe pain at the injection site
- Redness, warmth, swelling, or other signs of infection
- An abscess or collection of pus at the injection site
- Damage to underlying tissues
- Injury to nearby nerves
- Excessive bleeding, especially in patients with bleeding disorders
- Newly-formed large blood clot at the injection site
Who Needs a Blood Draw?
Calaid Home Healthcare, LLC medical professionals are also able to provide a blood draw. This procedure may be necessary to test for the following diseases and health conditions:
- HIV
- Anemia
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Coronary heart disease
Types of Blood Tests
The following tests may be done to identify health conditions and diseases:
- Complete blood count to test for anemia, clotting issues, blood cancer, infection, immune system disorders, and nutritional deficiencies
- Basic metabolic panel to check the following compounds: glucose, calcium, potassium, sodium, bicarbonate, chloride, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine; abnormal levels may indicate diabetes, hormone imbalances, and kidney disease
- Comprehensive metabolic panel to test proteins and substances involved in liver function, such as total protein, albumin, alanine aminotransferase, bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase
- Lipid panel to check high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein
- DHEA-sulfate serum test to diagnose Addison’s disease, hypopituitarism, adrenal dysfunction, ovarian tumor, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, benign or malignant tumor on the adrenal gland, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Thyroid panel to check hormone levels for triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
- Cardiac biomarker tests for creatine kinase (CK), troponin, and creatine-kinase-MB (CK-MB)
- Coagulation panel to diagnose thrombosis, liver conditions, vitamin K deficiency, leukemia, and excessive bleeding
- Sexually transmitted infection tests for gonorrhea, herpes, HIV, syphilis, and chlamydia
- C-reactive protein test to identify cancer, bacterial or viral infection, autoimmune disease, and inflammation related to diabetes, physical trauma, or smoking
What to Expect During a Blood Test
The nurse will take the following steps to draw blood:
- Use an antiseptic to cleanse the patient’s arm
- Tie a rubber band onto the patient’s upper arm to make the veins more visible
- Ask the patient to make a fist
- Insert the needle into a vein to draw blood
- Remove the needle from the skin
- Remove the rubber band
- Cover the blood draw site with a bandage or cotton swab and medical tape