How does injecting air bubbles kill but not the large air bubbles on an empty IV?

664 views

was in ER lots of times due to variou stuff (gallstones, excessive gas, GERD) and got an IV everytime

mom always got anxious when IV was about to end

2-3 times I was alone in ER and nurses were busy (car crash victims etc were brought in) so IVs got empty with plenty of air bubbles

only thing happened to me was in 1 of those my blood got up to the IV after 10 minutes or so but nothing else happened

why air bubbles in IVs are not an emergency or looked after instantly? When called on a empty IV (not dripping anymore) nurses act cool and cut the drip valve as if everything is normal

In: 73