Can someone teach me about Hep-Locks?

nurse678 · Feb 28, 2011

heplock is the old name. Heparin flushes used to be used to keep the IV patent. They are more commonly referred to as normal saline (NS) locks now. It's just an IV access that doesn't have any fluids running through it. I hope that helps!

Robublind · Feb 28, 2011

The answer above has it on the nose. The only place you may see a hep-lock or an IV access that is maintain by flushing heparin is on a peds floor.

BabyLady, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2011

I work in the NICU and sometimes in Peds and we use hep-locks.

All that means, is that heparin instead of saline is left in the line. So when we would flush a line, we would push 1 to 5 mls of Normal Saline (depending on the age of the patient) followed by heparin (per a flushing protocol), in order to "lock" the line.

We hep lock every central line (Broviac, PICC, UVC) with every medication administration because the size of the catheter is so small it will clot off if you do not. Most of the time we try to keep a maintenance line of 1 ml/hr infusing, but if you have nothing infusing you have to hep lock q 8 to keep the line open.

Especially with infants, if these lines do not stay flushed, they quickly clot off. An INT with no fluids infusing, we typically will flush it q4 with just normal saline and only use heparin if the flush is getting slow.

Daliadreamer · Feb 28, 2011

We use the terms Hep-lock and Saline-lock interchangeably on my unit. I don't believe we use heparin to flush anything on our unit unless they are getting a powerport needle removed before discharge. This confuses nursing students though, and used to confuse me! I think docs still use hep-lock because it is ingrained in their brains.

NaKcl, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2011

We use term Heplock referring to any IV access that doesn't have fluid running. It is a protocol that every patient have one IV access either for scheduled IV med or incase of emergency we need to push IV med.

RNDude1 · Feb 28, 2011

PICCs are the only thing I see hep-locked these days.

nycNurse2b · Mar 1, 2011

We use term Heplock referring to any IV access that doesn't have fluid running. It is a protocol that every patient have one IV access either for scheduled IV med or incase of emergency we need to push IV med.

Thanks everyone for responding. jsut to make sure I have this correct.....

A "Hep Lock" is not an actual physical thing. Its basically just telling you what to flush with?

So, if someone has continuous IV fluids, they would not have a "hep lock".

But if someone has an IV site and only receives one 30 min infusion per day, for example, I may be told that they have a "hep lock" meaning I should flush with Heparin when the infusion ends?

IS THAT CORRECT? Thank you all so much for helping out.

FancypantsRN · Mar 1, 2011

no, not correct.

the heplock is in the right hand means that the iv site is in the right hand. you do not put heparin into that site unless ordered to do so, you flush with saline.

if a doc tells you to heplock the ivf's, he means to stop the fluids from running (d/c ivf's)

heplock is just a term meaning that the iv site has nothing going into it. just forget the word heplock and think of it as just an iv site.

in short: iv site/saline lock/ heplock = same thing. there are many terms in the medical field that can describe the same thing, depends on the persons background and what region they are from.

nycNurse2b · Mar 1, 2011

heplock is just a term meaning that the iv site has nothing going into it. just forget the word heplock and think of it as just an iv site.
in short: iv site/saline lock/ heplock = same thing. there are many terms in the medical field that can describe the same thing, depends on the persons background and what region they are from.

:yeah:Thank you - - I FINALLY get it.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Mar 1, 2011

We never used the term heplock or saline lock-just "INT" for intermittent.. If there is a slide on the device you can put a bit of pressure with the saline syringe while closing the slide so the cap of the device will fill and help keep it patent.

b2sai · Mar 2, 2011

in short: iv site/saline lock/ heplock = same thing. there are many terms in the medical field that can describe the same thing, depends on the persons background and what region they are from.

I work in a Canadian hospital. Heparin Lock and Saline Lock are two different procedures.

We usually use Saline lock if we want to cap off a PIV, or any kind of vascular access devices (VAD). Meaning we flush the VAD with 3-10 cc of saline and lock it (slide the locking device of VAD to "lock" so blood wont back out of the inner cannula and cause it to clot)

Heparin lock on the other hand means flushing the VAD with 3-5cc of heparin (100units/mL) to prevent clot formation also and prevent blood from blocking the VAD. We use heparin lock for all VAD except regular PIV's as the cannula is much shorter and saline flushes would do (in case it clots, its easy to insert a new PIV.. PICC insertion on the other hand are not what RN's can do alone.)

Procedure:

Saline lock - flush line with saline 3-10 cc then lock the device while using positive pressure when flushing (push pause push pause then slide lock all at the same time). PIV-flush once a shift.

Heparin Lock - flush line with saline 3-10 cc THEN flush with 100 units/mL of Heparin 3-5 cc and lock the device using positive pressure (unless you have a maxplus valve, no positive pressure needed). Jugline/PICC- heparin lock every 7 days and/or after every access) We use 3cc for PICC's and Jug line. While 5 cc for implanted portacath's.

Please make sure patient is not HITT + and note the concentration of Heparin.