How do you flush a JP drain???

[Katie_Bell]

I work on a surgical floor, and have for about a year, but I've yet to have to flush a JP drain. I overheard one of my coworkers talking about having an order to do so, but I was unable to follow up and ask her HOW.

It sounds like the drain comes from the wound site, then there are 2 ports -- 1 that is hooked up to tubing and goes to the JP bulb, and the other just an available port.

How exactly do you flush a JP, especially given that it has 2 ports as opposed to 1? I have absolutely no idea. Where do you hook up the saline syringe too? Which port? I know nothing!

If anyone can offer advice based on their experience, that would be great!

[PamRNC]

We often have pigtail catheters (blue and other colors, 8 French and other sizes) also placed in abscesses or as nephrostomy tubes with a 3-way stopcock attached between the tube end and drainage bag.

If/when ordered it is usually to flush forward only with 10ml of NS. Once you've returned the lever on the stopcock to the position that allows the drainage to go back to the bag it drains without milking.

[crb613, BSN, RN]

Jay-Jay said:

Ah, okay this is something new to me. Our JP's aren't like that. The tube comes directly from the body into the bulb, with nowhere you can disconnect it without causing a possible air leak.

Thats the only kind we have too. Flush a JP....did not know you could! Glad I read this.