In urgent situations, you may need IV antibiotics to help you overcome an illness. This treatment can get medication into your body quickly by going directly into the bloodstream and circulatory system. Also, there may be times when you require more medication than oral delivery will allow. IV antibiotics are antibiotics delivered intravenously to give you a continuous dose of the medication you need.
IV antibiotics are available at MedOne Urgent Care at St. Augustine in St. Augustine and the surrounding area. If you fall ill with a serious condition that requires antibiotics, this treatment can be effective at giving you a high dose under the supervision of our urgent care team. Our physician and staff have the knowledge and training to help you feel comfortable during this process.
If you believe you would benefit from this therapy, or if you have general questions about it, give us a call at 904-436-1553.
When this Approach is Necessary
For many bacterial infections, a patient can come to MedOne Urgent Care at St. Augustine, get a diagnosis and receive a prescription for an antibiotic. However, patients who have more pressing needs and more serious issues can benefit from an IV. There are some situations where we will recommend this treatment to get the medication into the person’s system faster.
Patients may need an IV in some of the following cases:
- To treat an infection in the lungs
- To treat an infection in the brain
- To treat an infection in the bones
- For chemotherapy
- In treatments for hormone deficiencies
Benefits of IV Antibiotics
Patients who need a quicker approach to battle an infection will see this method as an advantage. Using an IV gets the medication immediately into the bloodstream. The effects can be almost instantaneous. Many IV treatments are stronger than taking the medication orally.
This treatment takes place in our urgent care facility, so our Dr. Edward Lucas can monitor and supervise the therapy during the entire process. The physician can also make necessary adjustments to the dosage during the treatment.
How the Process Works
Our Dr. Edward Lucas and urgent care staff will take great care to prepare the patient for the therapy. A nursing staff member will prepare all the essential equipment and make sure everything is ready to begin the process. A team member will put the appropriate amount of medication in the IV bag and will set the drip rate to the right level.
A nurse will insert a needle into the patient and begin introducing the medication. This process can happen slowly over a certain period, or the nurse can set it to give the patient the entire dosage all at once. We will determine the most effective process based on the patient’s condition. Treatment length will vary from patient to patient. At MedOne Urgent Care at St. Augustine, we are mindful of every person’s needs and condition.
People of different ages and with varying levels of illnesses will get the proper dosage accordingly. Most IV treatments can take under an hour, but this will depend on the drip rate and what type of illness or disease the team is treating. Some patients require multiple treatments per day, while others may need only a single therapy.
After the Treatment
Once the IV bag is empty, the staff will remove the needle and disconnect everything. A nurse will put a bandage over the insertion point. The patient should not touch the area and should keep it dry for a few hours. The person may experience some irritation and soreness in the area for the next day or so.
If there is any bleeding or swelling, the patient should contact our urgent care clinic as soon as possible. There are many places where a person could go for IV antibiotic treatment. Hospital and doctor’s offices are equipped to perform this treatment for a variety of conditions.
However, our urgent care facility focuses on everyone’s individual needs and is concerned about customer satisfaction and care. Our staff has assisted patients of all ages and understands how to make every person’s experience as positive as possible.
Call Us Today
Not every patient will need IV antibiotic therapy. However, our physician will inform you whether you are a good candidate for this treatment. If you are, we can speed up the healing process by quickly introducing the essential medication into your system. The medication will allow you to recover and get back to your daily activities in St. Augustine.
Call us at our urgent care facility today at 904-436-1553 so we can start your treatment and get you on the road to better health and wellness.