more about flushing tubing and/or lock

[Amy2005]

Still trying to get all the steps included.

After a medication is given (using a minibag or Bard mini-infuser), then is

the tubing flushed? This would flush the lock too. Then the tubing would

hang with a cap (filled now with sterile saline). Or is just the lock flushed?

(this would mean that the tubing has the old medication solution still in the

tubing - but it would probably lose its potency).

If the medications are compatible - is the tubing flushed between medications?

Or just the lock?

If the medications are incompatible - they would have their own tubings?

If only one medication is being given to the patient, is the tubing flushed

before and after administration, or just the lock?

My manual speaks only of flushing the lock.

What about the tubing?

Or would it be a flush for tubing and then another flush for the lock?

[PAERRN20]

If you have a lock and are ordered an antibiotic, you would get your abx and spike it onto a long IV tubing (not the piggyback lines). You would then hang it on the pump. When finished, take the abx down and flush the IV with a syringe of saline. You would then keep the tubing for the next dose as long as it's the same antibiotic and the tubing isn't expired.

If you have a mini bag or piggyback the drip would infuse and then the primary fluid (normal saline, D5W, etc.) would kick back on and that would therefore flush the line.

If the medications are compatible you still should flush. Flush with a few cc's of fluid never hurt anyone and I wouldn't take the risk. If the medications are incompatible always always always flush. Say you have an order for two incompatible meds to be given. You would hang one, let it infuse, flush, and then hang the next med. Flushing after every med is a good habit to get into. Even after pushes because the extension set holds a couple cc's and you want the patient to get all of the med. You can never hurt the patient with a flush but you can if the line precipitates!

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

You only need to flush the locked VAD......put a sterile end cover on the IV tubing if you will be using it again......most protocols call for,

S........saline

A........agent

S........saline

H.........heparin......usually for locked CVCs and ports if yu are still using it

You do not need to flush the IV tubing unless you have it hanging as a secondary and you are back flushing it several times with the primary while it is hooked up in the medication port and this is before you spike it

Thereare a few meds that need a D5W flush....the only one I can think of now is one of the IVIG products