PICC line flush solution

[UM Review RN]

OK, here's the scenario:

Mr. Hypothetical is getting intermittant IV medication through the single-lumen PICC line at least six times a day.

It's not a Power Picc, just a regular one.

Supposing that there is no hospital protocol to follow, what solution(s) will you choose to flush the line and why?

[blinks14]

Previously at our facility when administering intermittent medications we flushed with 10ml of NS and 3ml of Heparin. As of today we are adding positive pressure locks to all our central lines so it is supposively no longer necessary to flush with heparin when these locks are in place. The lock actually pushes the fluid through the line and therefore has a lower occlusion rate. They trialed these caps previously and now they are going housewide as of today.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

We use positive pressure caps as well.