What is the Difference Between IV Needle Gauges? | 18, 20, & 22 Gauge IV Needles

While I was a nursing student in clinicals, I would always hear nurses telling other nurses in report "the patient has a 22 in the RAC". I remember asking my preceptor "I know this may be a REALLY dumb question but what does 22 mean?". I knew the reporting nurse must have been talking about an IV because she said RAC but I had no clue why she was saying it was a 22.

My preceptor sort of chuckled and said that 22 gauge meant it was the size of the IV catheter the patient had. Before that incident, it hadn't really dawned on me that there were different types of IV catheters out there and as a nurse it is important to know which IV gauge you can administer blood through and so on.

So to help you nursing students or new nurses out there learn about the different IV gauges and what they look like I have created a video. Also, click the link for more information about different IV gauge needles.




Sarah