All necessary equipment should be prepared, assembled and available at the bedside prior to starting the IV. Basic equipment includes:

• Appropirate size catheter 20G-30mm IV catheter
• non-latex tourniquet
• alcohol swab
• non-sterile 2x2 gauze
• sterile 2x2 gauze (this is not practice in nursing)
• 6x7cm Tegaderm™ Transparent Dressing
• 3 pieces of 2.5 cm tape approximately 10 cm in length
• IV bag with solution set (tubing) (flushed and ready)
• sharps container

To prepare the IV line, protective caps are removed from the fluid bag and the spiked end of the IV tubing. The regulating clamp for the IV line should be closed. The spiked end of the IV tubing is inserted into the receptacle on the IV bag while holding the IV bag inverted. The bag is then held upright with the IV line hanging from the bottom. The drip chamber should be filled half-way by pinching it and releasing. Following this, the bag should be hung from the IV pole, at a point above the patient, and the regulating clamp should be opened to "flush" the line of air bubbles.