A nurse is preparing to insert a peripheral IV line for a client who had a left mastectomy. Which of the following venous insertion sites should the nurse use?

After a mastectomy, the affected arm (left) must never be used for IV access, blood draws, or blood pressure measurements because the removal of lymph nodes impairs lymphatic drainage and increases the risk of lymphedema. Therefore, the right arm is the correct side. A distal site is preferred over proximal for IV insertion because if the vein is damaged, a more proximal site can still be used — you cannot go distal from a damaged proximal site.