Which of the following is an indication for peripheral vascular access?

• A. Need for arterial blood gas measurement
• B. Inability to obtain peripheral IV access
• C. Potential need for IV drug administration
• D. Need for arterial line placement

Answer: (D)

The key idea is when you need continuous, reliable access to the arterial system for monitoring and testing. An arterial line is a direct, ongoing connection to an artery that lets you continuously monitor blood pressure and promptly obtain arterial blood gas samples. If the situation calls for frequent ABGs or real-time hemodynamic data, placing an arterial line provides the needed access more effectively than repeatedly puncturing an artery or relying on venous access alone.

While a single arterial blood gas can be obtained with an arterial puncture, that does not inherently require a continuous arterial access device. The other scenarios describe venous access needs or general IV administration needs, which don’t specifically demand arterial access.