Saline flush without a physician order?

Nurses General Nursing

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Let's say a patient has a saline locked IV. The nurse knows that it is best practice to flush saline locked IVs with saline every 8 hours. Can she do this without a physician order?

Specializes in ICU, Informatics.
Ok, I give up, how does this mess relate to "can a nurse flush a saline lock"

Wasn't your question answered about 10 times?

I said it in response to the idea that a nurse could use flushes simply because they were on an order set. We agree that it would be acceptable to do so if it were on an order set- as long as that order set was signed by a physician or covered by a standing order.

You have missed the nuance of my question- the answer is NO you can't flush without a physician order. You may do so if there is a standing order on your unit (which was initiated by a physician) , or if it was addressed in another order (such as place and maintain IV) again, by a physician. But if you don't have an order, you can't do it!

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Specializes in ICU, Informatics.
What gave you the idea we disagree at all? or don't you recognize sarcasm? I was just being facitious.;)

touche!

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Specializes in Paediatrics.

--.-- What was the whole purpose to this question? To try to find a person in the wrong? I had found it interesting as I thought it was a genuine one, but this..meh.

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All of this nonsense to answer your own question.... lots of free time, eh? :D

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Specializes in ICU, Informatics.
This thread seems to be more about splicing hairs then the original question put forward.

Well... my job is to split hairs! LOL. When a nurse tells me they are doing something without an order "'cause that's what we always do", it's my job to look into it. It may seem insignificant to some people to take it for granted that they are doing something outside of the scope of practice, but I like to get to the bottom of things.

I'll repeat myself, you can't flush an IV without some kind of a physician order... or am I wrong. If a facility is doing so without a standing order in place, they are ripe for penalty!

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Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.

Ah, I missed the nuance....I must be tired...or my nuance radar is malfunctioning...I'm usually pretty good with catching those but darn.....

Seriously, all of this over a saline lock question, bottom line, you don't seem to want to believe any of the answers you have received tonight, you only seem interested in arguing with everyone.

So, I will just bid you good night.

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Specializes in ICU, Informatics.
--.-- What was the whole purpose to this question? To try to find a person in the wrong? I had found it interesting as I thought it was a genuine one, but this..meh.

Umm... well a number of people feel that they can do said activity without an order, which I think we would both disagree with, so I feel justified in raising the question.

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Flashbacks to 5th grade..... :)

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Specializes in ICU, Informatics.
Ah, I missed the nuance....I must be tired...or my nuance radar is malfunctioning...I'm usually pretty good with catching those but darn.....

Seriously, all of this over a saline lock question, bottom line, you don't seem to want to believe any of the answers you have received tonight, you only seem interested in arguing with everyone.

So, I will just bid you good night.

You must have missed my posts where I agree with people? I'm only arguing with people who say that you can flush without an order, if nothing else I hope I have made the point that people do things without thinking first.

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Specializes in Paediatrics.

I'm with Diva, I really dislike arguing. Everyone went out of their way to answer your questions wanting to be helpful, yet you are set on trying to tell people they are acting out of their scope of practice.

I am pretty much assured all the nurses here are following their own facilities rules/policies/procedures and standing orders and we certainly aren't telling anyone to do the wrong thing. If you think individuals in your facility are doing something wrong you should take to your own manager, compared to trying to find someone making an error here. We all practice under our license and I for one wouldn't dream of going out of my scope. Which I'm sure others here feel the same.

Hope you have a lovely night and find this answer you seem to be looking for.

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Specializes in ICU, Informatics.
Flashbacks to 5th grade..... :)

Well, I'm sorry if you feel it is juvenile to ask questions and follow the answers to their rational ends, but there are reasons standing orders etc. are place... people like me asked stupid questions that people already thought they knew the answers to.

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Specializes in ICU, Informatics.
I'm with Diva, I really dislike arguing. Everyone went out of their way to answer your questions wanting to be helpful, yet you are set on trying to tell people they are acting out of their scope of practice.

Would you consider my line of questions helpful if it caused someone to check their facility's standing orders and find them lacking- leading to positive changes?

I always find it disappointing when people recoil so quickly to questions, isn't that what the whole critical thinking paradigm is based on?

and yes... to those people who are flushing...who do not have a physician order... you are outside of your scope!

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