back to med surg...can I give meds thru a permacath?

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Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/Ortho/Psych.

If a permacath is being used for dialysis. Can I draw blood and give other meds through this as well? I am just getting back into med surg and I have a lot to learn again.

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Specializes in CCU/CVU/ICU.
If a permacath is being used for dialysis. Can I draw blood and give other meds through this as well? I am just getting back into med surg and I have a lot to learn again.

In general...no. THese things are not to be messed with as they can clot-off, etc. HOwever...in urgent situations where you need access 'now', of course you would use it. I've used them in codes and to infuse pressors as a 'bridge' until proper lines can be had. Usually, if you're using them as iv-access you'll need an official order to do so. And...if the patient is requiring dialysis, you're obviously unable to utlilize it during a run...so will need other access anyway.

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Specializes in CCU (Coronary Care); Clinical Research.

I double what dinith says. Our docs prefer that we do not use the dialysis lines for IV meds or lab draws (unless a direct order is written to do so). The exception is in the event of a code or near code when immediate access is a necessity- I have use mahurkers for infusion of blood products and pressors when necessary...

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Rule of thumb, dialysis catheters are only for that and should be accessed by the dialysis nurse only. They are only to be used by others for code situations only.

If you follow those rules, you will never run into trouble. And remember, just because your physician tells you to use it, it does not mean that you can. There are actually quite a few physicians that are not aware of this.

Without knowing how the catheter works and that each port has 5000 units of heparin in that needs to be withdrawn first, etc., you run the risk of causing undue risk to your patient.

If they were able to get the catheter in to the patient in the first place and it is a fairly large catheter, then chances are that there is some place to get some type of line into them, or get blood from them. You just have to hunt for it.

Hope that this clears up alot of misconceptions about these catheters for others out there as well.

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Specializes in ICU/CCU/MICU/SICU/CTICU.

:yeahthat:

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