Blake CT with JP

Specialties CCU

Published

We just hired a new cardiac surgeon and he has been attaching a JP bulb to the mediastinal CT before transferring patients to the step-down unit. The reasoning is that patients can be more ambulatory and have less pain. Does anyone else do this? We are in the process of adding this to our CT policy, but have been unable to find research articles that support this practice.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

We've been doing this for years. The JP puts a gentle suction on the blake, allowing for mediastinal drainage. Patients are much more mobile, able to ambulate and get OOB for meals, when they have a JP bulb rather than a bulky box to lug around.

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I understand that is is so much better for the patient in terms of ambulating, etc. Is there any research out there that we can cite for our policy/procedures?

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

Do you have access to CINAHL through your workplace? That's where I would start.

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Specializes in STICU, CVICU, Flight.

We had a surgeon who used to do that, too. I'm fairly certain our P+P used the same measurement frequency as a "normal" chest tube (measured and dumped hourly) and it also included regular instruction re: JP care. Emptying the JP with a large syringe instead of squeezing the contents into a speci cup will decrease your chance of blood exposure.

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Specializes in CVICU.

We have a surgeon who does this on his fresh post-ops...which is a huge PIA when the patient is bleeding a lot :stone

Other than that, they seem to work pretty well.

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