Air in IV lines/syringes

[kcochrane]

I get so many various answers I'd thought I would throw it out here.

How much air in a IV line is too much?

I am so paranoid about air in lines and syringes. Reason being is that a few years back a coworker of my mom's died after she was injected with too much air from a syringe. A young mom that was in for a D&C to help concieve again. I know it had to be a big error and not just some little air bubble.

[qt2168]

Sweet I do not know why your attacking the other poster about the nazis because the medical information they gathered (though it was in a horrible way) has been used today. Especially information about hypothermia. I know that it was not gotten the correct way but should we ignore information that might save others?

[GM2RN]

A coworker of mine, who is kind of the Cliff Claven of healthcare, likes to share that the Nazis (Mengele) did research on this very topic, and they found that it takes nearly a whole IV line of air in the IV in order to cause death.

I was assisting with a central line placement 3 years ago and the doc doing the procedure told me the same thing.

[SweetOldWorld, BSN, RN]

Sweet I do not know why your attacking the other poster about the nazis because the medical information they gathered (though it was in a horrible way) has been used today. Especially information about hypothermia. I know that it was not gotten the correct way but should we ignore information that might save others?

It has something to do with ethics. And peer review. Things like that. "Correct" is kind of important when it comes to research.

[qt2168]

So what are you saying? We should ignore the research and results and re do the tests? On who? Poor animals? People?

[qt2168]

Here is an article on this topic that I found interesting.

http://www.jlaw.com/Articles/NaziMedEx.html

[Blackheartednurse]

I know exactly what I've posted here. I apologize if I sounded "casual". In no way was my intent to minimize the horrors that concentration camp victims experienced at the hands of the Nazis.

It would be inaccurate, though, to deny the huge amounts of medical research done. There have been many books written about the subject.

IMO, we do a disservice to the people who were sacrificed at Mengele's hands by discounting the knowledge that has been gained through the (horrible, yes) medical experiments they did.

Dont forget about the horrors experienced by the poor canine used in the research. Its funny when we talk about our own species we are shocked but when it is about the other species no one seems to care and people always justify the research.

[Blackheartednurse]

So what are you saying? We should ignore the research and results and re do the tests? On who? Poor animals? People?

I know I totally agree with you..WE are no better than other species,we just think we are.

[Blackheartednurse]

It has something to do with ethics. And peer review. Things like that. "Correct" is kind of important when it comes to research.

A lot of research is useless and unjustified..but I dont want to waste computer memory.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

BACK TO IV LINES/SYRINGES!!!! :)

I too tend to err on the side of caution with air bubbles upon IV priming and meds. Makes me feel better, even if there is no scientific basis for my student-induced hyperfocus.

The patient freak-out factor with air bubbles doesn't dimish much when you have the infusion pumps beeping with the big letters "AIR IN TUBING" on the screen.

[godsjoy]

can anyone lead me to real research on this subject?

[mappers]

The real issue with air in syringes is dosing of medication, not the air itself. If lot of space in your syringe is taken up by bubbles, then the patient might not be getting the correct dose. For small doses of medications (1/2cc or less) this could make a difference.

[Morainey, BSN, RN]

Who is still giggling about "out the pie hole"? This girl, that's who