Q) Am I allowed to remove an IV line from a patient on Shabbos? (There is no medical need to remove the IV line, but it will save the patient from unnecessary discomfort.)
A) The first point that must be ascertained is whether removing the IV line will definitely cause bleeding or not. If it will not definitely cause bleeding, because one is not intending to cause bleeding and bleeding is only a possible unintentional consequence of removing the IV line, it is defined as “dovor she’eino miskaven” and is permitted on Shabbos (Shulchan Aruch OC 337:1).
[See also Mishna Berura (Siman 337 s.k. 3) that even if the consequence is a regular and frequent occurrence – since it is not a definite consequence it is still termed “dovor she’eino miskaven” and is permitted on Shabbos.]
The potential issue that needs to be resolved is if removing the IV line will definitely cause bleeding (termed p’sik reishe). Is there any justification to remove the IV despite the definite consequence of bleeding?
The Magen Avraham (OC Siman 328) rules that one may remove a thorn [from one’s skin] on Shabbos – as long as one is careful not to cause any bleeding.
Ostensibly, we see from this Magen Avraham that removing an external item from the body which will result in an inevitable undesired consequence of bleeding is forbidden. However, the Mishna Berura (s.k. 88) quotes the Magen Avraham and asks that we find in other similar scenarios that one may transgress issurei d’rabonon in a situation of pain; so why over here can the thorn not be removed [if the embedded thorn causes pain and removing it will only contravene an issur d’rabonon]?
The Mishna Berura answers that since it is possible to remove the thorn without drawing blood – there is no justification to transgress an issur d’rabonon when it is not absolutely necessary (see also Sha’ar Hatziyun s.k. 63 and Bi’ur Halocho 308:11 d.h. “hakotz”).
We can derive from the Mishna Berura that if it is impossible to remove the foreign item without causing bleeding then one is allowed to remove it on Shabbos – in a situation of pain.
Therefore, if an IV line is causing a patient discomfort it may be removed on Shabbos – even if the removal will definitely cause bleeding.
[We are not discussing a situation where removing the IV line will cause hair to be pulled out; which is a separate issue that needs to be resolved separately.]