Most patients who enter the hospital for treatment receive some form of intravenous therapy during their stay, either in the emergency room or on the inpatient floors. IV catheters are vital and the fastest way to administer life-saving medications. Sometimes inserting or replacing a peripheral IV catheter can be difficult, especially when the patient has poor circulation or poor venous access. Lawsuits over peripheral IV insertion are on the rise in the healthcare industry today due to its invasive nature and unexpected outcomes. A lawsuit filed by Sheivia Graves against Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham "alleges that a difficult and painful IV start performed by a nurse at Brookwood Medical Corner caused permanent nerve damage. (Steinriede (2010) Steinriede (2010) has found the following: The nurse who started the infusion first tried the left arm, then the left hand, and finally the back of the right hand. As soon as the infusion began, Mrs. Graves "began to feel severe pain in her right hand and [this] made her start crying," according to court documents. When Ms. Graves complained to the doctor who began infusing anesthetics through the IV, he told her "they were already behind and that she should just put up with it. Immediately after the gastrointestinal examination, Mrs. Graves looked at her hand and noticed that it was swollen "like a boxing glove" (Steinriede, 2010) the patient was suffering from iron deficiency anemia, ulcerative colitis at the time and the fact that the patient had received blood transfusions could also have caused nerve damage (Steinriede, 2010). The nurse also documented that the right arm was swollen before the periphery. IV insertion and that she... middle of the paper... wow, the awards are based on determining the percentage of fault of both parties." (Evan, M. & Aiken, T., 2009, pp 184) Works Cited Evan, M. & Aiken, T., (2009): Nursing Law and Liability. JT Catalano (5th ed.) Nursing Now! Today's Issues Tomorrow's Trends.Philadelphia, PA: FADavisMasoorli, S., (2008) Stravaso: prevention is the best treatment. Nursing Spectrum retrieved from http://news.nurse.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008304080015Spader, C., (2006, May 8) IV Insertion-Still a Special Skill. Nursing Spectrum retrieved from http://news.nurse.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006605080330Steinriede, K., (2010, November 5) Cause: Did a painful IV start cause nerve damage? patient was swollen like a boxing glove during gastrointestinal procedure Journal of Outpatient Surgery retrieved from http://www.outpatientsurgery.net/news/2010/11/5