KVO
Medical abbreviation · Nursing
| Stands for | Keep vein open |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
KVO stands for Keep vein open, a nursing abbreviation.
IV order for a slow continuous infusion, often 10 to 30 mL per hour of normal saline, that keeps a catheter patent when no other fluids are needed. Some pumps automatically drop to a KVO rate when an infusion finishes.
Example: NS at KVO rate 10 mL/hr, may convert to saline lock when tolerating PO.
Usage notes
Essentially the same as TKO (to keep open). Exact rates are set by facility policy, so orders should state a number. Saline locks have replaced KVO infusions where possible, because they reduce fluid load and free the patient from the IV pole. In critical care a KVO line is often kept to carry emergency drugs.
Related abbreviations
More nursing abbreviations
- INT – Intermittent needle therapy (intermittent infusion device)
- IPC – Intermittent pneumatic compression
- IS – Incentive spirometry
- IUC – Indwelling urinary catheter
- IVF – Intravenous fluids
- JP – Jackson-Pratt drain
- LBM – Last bowel movement
- LDA – Lines, drains and airways
- MAR – Medication administration record
- MDS – Minimum Data Set
- MFS – Morse Fall Scale
- MIVF – Maintenance intravenous fluids
See all 90 nursing abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.