Continuous Bladder Irrigation

[gtmoore]

I was also told that you had to use the "special" 2000cc Normal Saline for irrigation bags for CBI. However, a nurse last night kept hanging regular 1000cc NS IV bags which I thought had different preservatives. Was she doing the patient harm or was I overreacting?

[Piki]

We see alot of these on the floor, TURPs and TURBs, etc with CBI. I can't imagine using the 1 liter bags of NS, as it is we're in there often enough hanging the 2L bags! I don't think there is a difference between the two (NS is NS, right?) but out of sheer convenience, who would willingly choose the smaller bag? We always just have the US order a box of irrigation bags and put them in the room. However most of our our CBI's tend to use the glycine irrigation over the NS.

[jmgrn65, RN]

We use 3 liter bags, a 1 ltr bag would be gone too fast. We also order them up to the floor by the cases. But I do think NS is NS so no harm to patient just convience.

[Piki]

Ooops, I meant to say 3000 bags, not 2L. We use the same big bags as you do, jmgrn65.

[gtmoore]

Thanks for the replies. Obviously, hanging a 1000cc bag was silly because she was going through like 1-2/hour. I was also just thinking that if the NS is good enough to go in IV, it should be fine to irrigate the bladder.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

We use 2K L bags; wish we had 3000 as I wouldn't have to change them so frequently for so many pts that have fast flows. Then again, hauling a bag that size up the "flagpole" all night doesn't sound like fun, either

[MichaelFloridaRN]

We use 2K L bags; wish we had 3000 as I wouldn't have to change them so frequently for so many pts that have fast flows. Then again, hauling a bag that size up the "flagpole" all night doesn't sound like fun, either

You are the one to set the flow according the the orders of the MD at what color he would like to have the output(likely clear). But even then a bag should last about HR or so. You don't want to over-irrigate either I make sure that I have 3 cases of 6 bags each setting ready for a 12 hr shift. And I guess a bag would weight around 2 Kg or 4.4 lbs.

[Charity, RN, APRN]

And I guess a bag would weight around 2 Kg or 4.4 lbs.

Actually a 3L bag of irrigant weighs 6.6 pounds.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

You are the one to set the flow according the the orders of the MD at what color he would like to have the output(likely clear).

Well, of course I know that :) My point is that when you have a fast flow rate, as our patients often do, they can require changes frequently enough that I'd wish for a larger bag! I've never weighed it, but I think they're more than four pounds each (at least my tired arms think so). Then again, maybe I'm just old--or have been picking up too many at a time!

But even then a bag should last about HR or so. You don't want to over-irrigate either.

Actually, there isn't a "should" on how long it will last. I've had a bag last 12 minutes, when opened full-out: and that's what the patient needed to prevent clotting, as per MD order and nursing judgment. And I've had a bag last three hours, same reasons.

Anyway, hope my next CBI is a nice slow rate

[Nurse Lulu]

maybe she was using 1000 bags because she could not get 3 L ones....had this problem from pharmacy before.....

[crb613, BSN, RN]

We use 3L bags, 2 at a time for CBI.

[SDS_RN, RN]

We use 3L bags, 2 at a time for CBI.

Same at our facility.

Even if she was out of 3L bags wasn't there someone to call to go to pharm and get more bags? At our facility our house supervisor has access to the pharmacy and gets meds or whatever we need at noc.