What might you suspect if a patient with an IV is complaining of pain and burning at the site?

When a patient with an IV expresses pain and burning at the insertion site, the symptoms strongly align with phlebitis. Phlebitis is an inflammation of the vein, which can occur due to various reasons such as irritation from the catheter, the fluid being infused, or a reaction to certain medications. The inflammation typically leads to discomfort, swelling, and redness around the IV site. These symptoms can be exacerbated by movement or pressure applied to the area, which further distinguishes phlebitis from other potential complications.

In contrast to infiltration, which involves the IV fluid leaking into surrounding tissue, phlebitis specifically signifies inflammation of the vein itself. While both can cause discomfort, the burning sensation is more characteristic of phlebitis rather than the general swelling and fullness felt with infiltration.

The possibility of a clot in the catheter would generally lead to other symptoms like resistance when flushing the line or flow issues, rather than localized pain or burning. A normal IV sensation would not typically cause noticeable pain or burning; instead, it should be relatively painless with the patient only feeling slight discomfort during the initial insertion. Thus, the symptoms described are indicative of phlebitis rather than any of the other conditions presented.