I'm in a new unit and their policy on changing iv tubing/bags is different from where I worked. I looked up CDC guidelines (actually googled it and got sent to another site but it seems legit) and the recommendations seem little contradictory. Here's the site for anyone who is feeling motivated!
4.5: Prevention of IV Related Infections
The basics are nothing new: change tubing q 72 hours, maintain a closed system, etc.
Then it says that Large Volume Parenterals should be used up or discontinued if not completed in 24 hours.
Large volume is not defined...is that the 4L bag of TPN (obviously) or the 50cc bag of epinephrine? What about the 250cc bag of epi?
My issue (and maybe it's just me...my previous institution changed everything: bags, tubings, stopcocks, q 72 hours except for TPN) is that if you change the bag q 24 but change the tubing q 72 aren't you breaking that closed system? If your base solution isn't dextrose, it seems that by unspiking, then respiking a new bag, you have a greater risk for introducing infection than if you kept it closed.
Any thoughts? Any other websites I can check?