Flushing JP Drain

Specialties Med-Surg

Published

Got a bet with a friend about the "correct" way to flush a JP Drain. What is the correct way, from your experience? Sounds simple, but I want to prove him wrong....

Thanks:chuckle

I am a new grad working on med-surg oncology. I had an order to flush a JP with a 10cc syringe. I asked several nurses how to do the procedure and got two different answers. One, just flush the NS through the tube leaving solution in the wound to be drained by the JP. Second, flush, then withdraw without pressure amt. of solution that easily flows back, allowing the rest to drain out into the JP. Which one is correct?

Specializes in MS Home Health.

Never had to flush one either. renerian

Learn something new everyday, I have never flushed a JP either I have however hooked them to wall suction per physcian order :)

When we flush a JP, we have usually left the NS in. It is usually only 10 cc. We record the 10cc as going in so it will be taken into consideration in the outs!

Have done JP's to: wall sx, bulb sx, no sx at all, flushed JP's with NS and abx.

Those little buggers have more uses!!!:eek:

If routinely flushing the drain, put a stopcock (or ask the doc to, depending on the institution) and make life easier on yourself.

We pretty routinely flush JP's on our floor... the ones put in for our agency have stopcocks on them, so we change the direction of fluid to toward the pt, clean the leur-lock, flush and then change the direction of fluid back toward the bulb so it can drain out.

At my facility, we occassionally have to flush JPs. Usually if the Doc suspects it is clogged. We only do it with Dr. orders. We flush with 10 cc and leave the NS in to drain and record it as intake.

Just realized the OP posted this question in 2002! Goodness...

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