[zacarias]

If a pt's heparin gtt is running at 35cc/hr, then you should be fine with heparin as the only line since that rate will keep the vein open.

If you a have little frail pt who only gets 9cc/hr of heparin. Your chancing it if you don't have saline running at a TKO rate. Do you really want to chance it with heparin?

Also, you should consider the risk of fluid overload in certain patients and not indiscriminately hang "excess" fluids.

[Celia M]

We have a NS TKO order with IV heparin as a secondary so if there is an emergency we have something that can be run quickly, to prevent and accidental heparin bolus. If there is a mainline IV running them the NS TKO is not needed.