History Main / PullTheIV

* In ''Film/ResidentEvil 2'', Alice wakes up alone in a hospital [[LateToTheParty Late To The]] ZombieApocalypse, and the first thing she does is yank out the IV. Albeit she ''does'' seem to feel pain.

* The Bride does this in ''KillBill'' during the hospital sequence after killing Buck's latest "customer," who he'd been pimping out her comatose body to, just before getting into position (with no working legs, mind you) to ambush and take revenge upon Buck.
* PlayedForLaughs, naturally, in {{Airplane}}. There's a young girl being transported to a hospital, whose IV line keeps getting knocked out by the stewardess playing the (borrowed) nun's guitar.
* In TheMatrix, Neo has a similar setup, but fed directly into a port in his arm (and facing the wrong way). Removing it does seem to cause pain though.

* Jim of ''[[TwentyEightDaysLater 28 Days Later]]'' does this, though not right away. It's not like anyone's coming to tend to him, and we see him wrapping a bandage around his arm where the IV had been.

* In the first ''Film/{{X-Men}}'' movie, Wolverine wakes up at the medical room of the X-Men base and promptly rips out the needles. Doesn't bleed thanks to his hyper regeneration.
* JamesBond does this when escaping from the [=MI6=] medical facility in ''DieAnotherDay.''

* As most modern indwelling peripheral IVs consist of only a small plastic tube (catheter) sticking into the vein (the actual needle is used only for insertion, the catheter is threaded over it, and then the needle is removed and discarded), there is little risk for further tissue damage from pulling out an IV. Also, IVs inserted the wrong way (as mentioned on this trope page), though definitely not the standard of practice, are sometimes used in real life and can still function.

* In the 00's remake of ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|Reimagined}}'', Starbuck does this when breaking out of the Cylon farm.

* In the first {{Film/XMen}} movie, Wolverine wakes up at the medical room of the X-Men base and promptly rips out the needles. Doesn't bleed thanks to his hyper regeneration.
* JamesBond does this when escaping from the [=MI6=] medical facility in ''Die Another Day.''

* Faith in ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', although in her case it might not just be a matter of [[BadAss Bad Assery]] but also of not particularly ''caring'' what happens to her.
* A variation on the theme happened in an episode of ''{{House}},'' with a serial killer who yanked out his ''breathing tube''.
* Naturally, any TV series featuring an emergency department will show this at least once; notable examples include ''GraysAnatomy'' and ''{{ER}}''.

* In the 00's remake of ''{{Battlestar Galactica}}'', Starbuck does this when breaking out of the Cylon farm.

* Pretty sure this shows up in the ''{{Halloween}} 2'' (remake). Of course there it's [[spoiler:a nightmare sequence]].

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:Music]]

[[AC:Newspaper Comics]]

* AlphaProtocol had this early on.

[[AC:Webcomics]]

[[AC:Western Animation]]

[[AC:Web Animation]]

[[AC:Web Original]]
* Alpha Protocol had this early on, noted in this episode of [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/unskippable/1932-Alpha-Protocol Unskippable (occurs 2:44, called out at 6:18)]]

* In TheMatrix, Neo has a similar setup, but fed directly into a port in his arm. Removing it does seem to cause pain though.

* Faith in ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer''.

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<<|MedicalDrama|>>

IV (intravenous) therapy is a form of medication administration in which the desired medication is given directly into the bloodstream through a vein. Intravenous systems, which consist of a small, thin plastic catheter attached to a needle-less "lock" device, are commonly used by medical personnel to draw blood samples, give one-time "pushes" of medications, or infuse medications or fluids over extended periods of time. (These last are commonly known as "IV drips," as the apparatus consists of a large bag or bottle of fluid connected to a length of plastic tubing containing a drip chamber). According to TheOtherWiki, intravenous therapy may be used to correct electrolyte imbalances, to deliver medications, for blood transfusion, for rapid fluid replacement to correct dehydration, or for maintenance fluids in a patient who cannot take food or fluids by mouth.

Healthcare professionals take great care in starting and removing [=IVs=], as the IV site represents a wound in a blood vessel that can bleed significantly or become infected if not properly cared for. However, your typical {{Action Hero}} or {{Bad Ass}} would much rather dramatically rip the catheter out of his arm and then run off to continue his feats of [[BadAss Bad Assery.]] It's a simple way for a writer to show the audience that the character has better things to do than sit around getting healed up. This is a trope to dedicated to those [[RuleOfThree Bad Asses]] that can risk wounding themselves without getting into any dire straits.

May be related to {{Afraid of Needles}}, and represents an amusing subversion: there ''is no needle'' in an established IV, as it's removed and safely disposed of as soon as the catheter is in the vein.

* The first X-men movie, Wolverine wakes up at the medical room of the X-men's base and promptly rips out the needles. Doesn't bleed thanks to his hyper regeneration.
* JamesBond does this when escaping from the MI6 medical facility in ''Die Another Day.''

* People can and frequently do attempt and succeed in pulling out their own IVs, as well as more invasive medical devices (Foley catheters, central venous lines, arterial lines, endotracheal tubes, etc). In the case of a basic peripheral IV, frequently this results in some pain and a big mess, as the drip (if any) will keep dripping all over the place, and the site will continue to bleed to varying degrees if it isn't well bandaged. (How much blood may be involved depends on whether the patient has been given any anticoagulant or "blood thinning" medications, as well as the size of the IV "line." For example, a 14-gauge widebore will bleed much more than a 22-gauge pediatric line.) In the vast majority of cases, a pulled IV is no cause for alarm; it just means the staff will have to poke you again to start a new line. The major risk that may be involved arises from abruptly discontinuing any dripped medication the patient may be on, and the time delay before resuming it.

IV or Intravenous Therapy is a form of drug distribution that is given directly to the vein, usually through a cord. [[TheOtherWiki It is commonly referred to as a drip because many systems of administration employ a drip chamber, which prevents air entering the blood stream (air embolism) and allows an estimate of flow rate.]]

[[SesquipedalianLoquaciousness Intravenous therapy may be used to correct electrolyte imbalances, to deliver medications, for blood transfusion or as fluid replacement to correct, for example, dehydration.]]

So it'd be [[WhatAnIdiot incredibly stupid]] to [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Pull The IV]], because that could stop the drug being fed to your system and you could potentially die without an immediate connection to it and that unfiltered oxygen gets into your direct vein chambers which is also not good. But a lot of {{Action Hero}}es or {{Bad Ass}}es tend to take it off without much hassle and then do [[DepartmentOfRedundancy Bad Ass]] things after that even though they just made an open wound. It's a simple way for a writer to show the audience that the character has better things to do than sit around getting healed up. This is a trope to dedicated to those [[RuleOfThree Bad Asses]] that can risk wounding themselves without getting into any action.

From a [[Tropers/CkretAznMan personal]] observation of safely removing the IV cord, one must put pressure on the place injected and remove the needle slowly. After that, nurses will usually tie a tight bandage on the arm to make sure that blood won't be lost and to keep the open wound [[DavidBowie under pressure]].

May be related to {{Afraid of Needles}}.

Would be classed under TelevisionIsTryingToKillUs or YouFailYourMedicalBoardsForever

* Happened in an episode of House, with a serial killer who yanked out his ''breathing tube''.

* Most certainly not TruthInTelevision; once when my father was in hospital he got a [[{{Understatement}} bit disorientated]] due to the sedative he was given and ripped his IV out (don't worry [[IGotBetter he recovered]]). This [[BloodyHilarious had exactly the effect]] one would expect tearing open a vein would have.
* Not TruthInTelevision. This troper cut her IV line in half by accident. Once cut, the IV line still connected to your body will start to pump out disturbing amounts blood.

There is also the separate trope where the bad guy tries to kill someone by pulling the plug on them.

* PlayedForLaughs, naturally, in {{Airplane}}. There's a young girl being transported to a hospital, whose IV line keeps getting knocked out by the nun playing the guitar.

May be related to Afraid of Needles.

-->"Why is it that whenever someone wakes up in a hospital, the FIRST thing they do is pull the IV out of their arm? Maybe it was KEEPING THEM ALIVE!" - Unskippable

"You know those cords that connect to your arm whenever you're in the hospital? They're apparently called IV cords and it's a drippy thingy that keeps you alive. I've actually noticed this more than once, but whenever a person (usually an Action Hero) finds him/herself in a medical room and hospitalized, the very first thing that they do to "escape" the room is to pull the IV cord. It's directly connected to your arm's vein, but it apparently doesn't hurt at all; and it could also kill you if you do that." - Ckretaznman
"Why is it that whenever someone wakes up in a hospital, the FIRST thing they do is pull the IV out of their arm? Maybe it was KEEPING THEM ALIVE!" - Unskippable

IV or Intravenous Therapy is a form of drug distribution that is given directly to the vein, usually through a cord. It is commonly referred to as a drip because many systems of administration employ a drip chamber, which prevents air entering the blood stream (air embolism) and allows an estimate of flow rate.

Intravenous therapy may be used to correct electrolyte imbalances, to deliver medications, for blood transfusion or as fluid replacement to correct, for example, dehydration.

So it'd be incredibly stupid to Pull The IV, because that could stop the drug being fed to your system and you could potentially die without an immediate connection to it and that unfiltered oxygen gets into your direct vein chambers which is also not good. But a lot of Action Heroes or Bad Asses tend to take it off without much hassle and then do Bad Ass things after that even though they just made an open wound. It's a simple way for a writer to show the audience that the character has better things to do than sit around getting healed up. This is a trope to dedicated to those Bad Asses that can risk wounding themselves without getting into any action.

From a personal observation of safely removing the IV cord, one must put pressure on the place injected and remove the needle slowly. After that, nurses will usually tie a tight bandage on the arm to make sure that blood won't be lost and to keep the open wound under pressure.

Would be classed under Television Is Trying To Kill Us or You Fail Your Medical Boards Forever
Examples:

Anime and Manga

Comic Books

* Iron Man: Tony Stark not only pulls out an IV, but also his own respirator tubes.
* Desolation Jones: Jones was panicking when he pulled out his IV, but a year's worth of trauma kind of justifies it.

Film

* In Resident Evil 2, Alice wakes up alone in a hospital Late To The Zombie Apocalypse, and the first thing she does is yank out the IV. Albeit she does seem to feel pain.
* Pretty sure this shows up in the Halloween 2 (remake). Of course there it's a nightmare sequence.
* The Bride does this in Kill Bill during the hospital sequence after killing Buck's latest "customer," who he'd been pimping out her comatose body to, just before getting into position (with no working legs, mind you) to ambush and take revenge upon Buck.
* Played For Laughs, naturally, in Airplane. There's a young girl being transported to a hospital, whose IV line keeps getting knocked out by the nun playing the guitar.
* In The Matrix, Neo has a similar setup, but fed directly into a port in his arm. Removing it does seem to cause pain though.
* Inception: The dream machine appears to involve an IV-like device, which appears to be simply pulled out when not needed.
* Jim of 28 Days Later does this, though not right away. It's not like anyone's coming to tend to him, and we see him wrapping a bandage around his arm where the IV had been.
* Harry Brown of the eponymous film removes his monitors and goes home after waking in hospital following an emphysema attack.
* The first X-men movie, Wolverine wakes up at the medical room of the X-men's base and promptly rips out the needles. Doesn't bleed thanks to his hyper regeneration.

Literature

Live Action TV

* Averted in an episode of Moonlighting, where a hospitalized gangster gets into a fight and drags his IV drip around with him. Played For Laughs, obviously.
* Faith in Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
* Happened in an episode of House, with a serial killer who yanked out his breathing tube.

Music

Newspaper Comics

Video Games

* Alpha Protocol had this early on.

Webcomics

Western Animation

Web Animation

Web Original

* Alpha Protocol had this early on, noted in this episode of Unskippable (occurs 2:44, called out at 6:18)

Real Life

* Most certainly not Truth In Television; once when my father was in hospital he got a bit disorientated due to the sedative he was given and ripped his IV out (don't worry he recovered). This had exactly the effect one would expect tearing open a vein would have.