IV Certification: Why, How, and Where to Get It
If you’re looking for ways to deepen your clinical knowledge, an intravenous (IV) certification can help you strengthen or gain an essential skill. Inserting, managing, and removing intravenous lines are daily tasks for many RNs, LPNs, LVNs, and other nursing professionals. And depending on your background, there are several ways to get certified.
IV certification classes can give you the tools to excel in a specific clinical area, such as infusion nursing or IV team. Or you might choose to deepen your IV skills for med-surg, ICU, pre-op, and post-acute care. Intravenous lines are something you’ll see in various specialties, and it’s a skill that proves valuable across roles.
While IVs are common in acute care settings, they’re not without risks. Blown vessels, infections, and infiltrations can each have severe consequences for patients, and understanding best practices helps you practice more safely. Training courses and certifications standardize care and help you give patients the best outcomes.
Why IV Certification Is Important
IV insertion is the most common invasive procedure worldwide. Between 60% and 90% of hospital patients receive an IV during their stay. But their failure rate is also very high; between 35% and 50% of IVs lose function before they should.
Because IVs are so prevalent, it’s tempting to think that IVs are without risks. However, there are several complications that can arise from intravenous lines:
- Phlebitis: Inflammation within a vein that causes pain, swelling, tenderness, and redness.
- Infiltration/extravasation: Fluid leaks from the vein into the surrounding tissue, which can cause swelling, pain, burning, and sometimes serious tissue injury.
- Occlusions: The line is blocked, either by kinking or blood backing into the catheter.
- Dislodgement: The catheter is pulled out of the vein accidentally.
- Local infections: Bacteria is introduced to the vein, causing inflammation in the surrounding tissues.
- Bloodstream infections (BSI): Bacteria is introduced to the bloodstream, causing widespread infection. This is very rare with IV catheters, but it does happen.
Standardizing IV practices through IV classes can help prevent some of these complications. And if you’re in a specialty where you place IVs often, advancing your knowledge can help you bring more confidence to this task.
Do you cringe at the thought of placing an IV? Or maybe you’re not sure how to troubleshoot if an existing IV gets occluded? Some research shows that, while nurses are confident in their IV skills, they might lack the knowledge necessary to correctly manage IVs. While you learned basic IV skills in nursing school, training and experience can help advance your skills.
Getting IV certified can also help set you apart when applying for jobs or career advancement. Courses show your dedication to the nursing profession, and to being a lifelong learner. And each certification that you pursue can potentially influence your income; the average IV therapy nurse makes $89,090 per year.
What Kinds of Nursing Professionals Should Get IV Certified?
For RNs, IV skills are built into licensure, and you don’t need additional training to use them. But depending on your specialty area, IV training and continuing education are important, and even required. These are a few of the roles where you’ll likely need additional IV certification to practice:
- Infusion nurses need to pass the Certified Registered Nurse Infusion (CRNI) exam, which includes content on principles of practice, access devices like IVs, and infusion therapies.
- IV team nurses often need additional training in IV placement, and some institutions require the Vascular Access Certification (VA-C).
- Oncology nurses administer infusions, and the Oncology Nursing Certification includes some content on chemotherapy administration via IV access.
Non-nursing staff might need additional IV training as well. IV certification for phlebotomists and medical assistants are separate programs.
IV Certification for Nurses Explained
There is no national certification for intravenous lines. Certain IV classes give out certificates when you complete them, but this is not the same as a certification. Some training institutions advertise certification classes, and while these may help your skill set, you won’t be “IV certified” once you complete them because that certification doesn’t exist.
For RNs, IV skills are built into some national certifications, like CRNI or VA-C. These certifications require a certain number of practicing hours to qualify for certification. VA-C requires one year of experience, and CRNI requires 1,600 hours.
Where to Get IV Certification
For RNs looking for certifications that include IV maintenance, check out these nationally recognized resources:
- The Infusion Nurses Society (INS) administers the CRNI exam, and testing is available in March and September. You’ll need to apply and receive a confirmation letter to schedule your exam. INS offers an exam prep course, as well as a study guide and practice questions.
- The Vascular Access Certification Corp(VACC) administers the VA-BC exam in June and December. You’ll need to apply online to schedule your test, which can be in person or remotely proctored. VACC has resources for studying, like a test content outline, a certification readiness tool, and practice questions.
For LPNs and LVNs, your choice between IV courses will depend on your state and school. For example:
- In Florida, IV skills training needs to be at least 30 hours, and happens after graduating from an approved nursing school.
- In Kentucky, LPNs are certified before or after being licensed by an approved school or continuing education provider.
- In Louisiana, LPNs are IV certified during their nursing education.
Additionally, many states do not allow LPNs to handle IV access without supervision from an RN. In other states, LPNs can perform IV placement and management, but can’t give blood products. View your state’s LPN scope of practice to learn more about IV skills you can use.
How Much Does It Cost to Get IV Certified?
The cost of your certification or course will depend on which one you choose. These are the costs of the most common certifications:
- CRNI exam fees are $385 for INS members, and $525 for non-members.
- VA-BC exam fees are $375 for VACC members, and $475 for non-members. Fees go down by $100 after your first failed attempt.
IV certifications for LPNs are often built into your nursing school curriculum, so there shouldn’t be an additional cost. If you do need to buy additional training, your facility might pay for it.
What Are IV Certification Classes Like?
IV courses vary depending on the credential you choose to pursue. Certification classes are generally held online with an exam component, through a nationally recognized organization. For some certifications, you’ll just need to sit for an exam.
IV training for LPNs and LVNs is a little different and usually has an in-person component where you’ll practice essential skills. These trainings are through your school, hospital, or a third-party education organization.
How Long Does It Take to Get IV Certified?
If you’re an LPN, IV training may take one to two days. If you’re a registered nurse getting a certification, you’ll need to thoroughly prepare yourself before sitting for an exam.
Put Your IV Skills to Work With IntelyCare
Building on your skillset with an IV certification can make you a more marketable RN, LPN, or LVN. But certification isn’t the only way to advance your nursing career. Find the next step in your career from the thousands of jobs available on IntelyCare.