NMNC 4335 IV Skills Practice Test

When a CVAD catheter embolism happens, the priority is to stop more air from entering the circulation and to support the patient quickly. Administering high-flow oxygen helps shrink the air bubble more rapidly by promoting nitrogen washout, which can reduce the size of the embolus. Clamping the catheter prevents any additional air from being drawn into the venous system. Positioning the patient with the head down and on the left side (left lateral Trendelenburg) keeps the air bubble in the right atrium and right ventricle, reducing the chance it will travel to the lungs and cause further obstruction. Together, these steps address both the source of the problem and its immediate effects.

Removing the catheter immediately without stabilization or imaging could risk releasing more air into the circulation and worsening the situation, so that approach is not appropriate. Elevating the patient with diuretics does not address an air embolism, and applying a cold compress does not help with the embolism either.