Dilute Lasix before giving IV?

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Specializes in ER.

When I give Lasix, I mix it in a 50ml bag of NS, and hang it over 2 minutes. If the patient already has some NS running I just push it over 2 minutes. Good practice?

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Specializes in Critical Care/CVICU.

Our pharmacist doesn’t have us dilute any dose less than 80mg.

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Is it a good practice? It's not supported by the manufacturer or in any of the trusted pharmacy resources. It's not necessary. It's wasteful and when you mix it in a bag is the patient getting the whole dose? So I'm going to have to say no.

https://www.drugguide.com/ddo/view/Davis-Drug-Guide/51345/all/furosemide

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

Why bother with the bag? If I'm giving it through a saline lock, I might dilute with a saline flush to make pushing it slowly easier, but only a few mLs.

Just don't give faster than 10 mg/minute; risks ototoxicity. You didn't say what dose you are giving? 2 minutes isn't long enough for higher doses. We had a cancer pt who had lost some hearing after getting too much too fast at another hospital.

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Specializes in ER.

Good to know, thanks!

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Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.

I wouldn’t dilute with 50ml since patient is likely already fluid overloaded. I definitely do the slow push though ?

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Why are you mixing it? To me, that’s practicing outside of your scope of practice. There is absolutely no indication to do this.

When we have any medication that requires diluting, we have an order to do it and how much to dilute and with what, whether It’s saline or sterile water.

I don’t get why people think they need to dilute every medication. You can’t just decide to mix things and how much to mix them with. You are not a pharmacist.

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OP- what is your rationale for your current approach?

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Specializes in ER.

Just curious how other folk did it

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2 hours ago, Patrick8403 said:

Just curious how other folk did it

Is the way you do it your hospital's policy or is this just something you came up with? What exactly is your rationale for doing it this way?

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Specializes in ER.

What are you JCAHO? I got your policy hanging! I do what I want!

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1 minute ago, Patrick8403 said:

What are you JCAHO? I got your policy hanging! I do what I want!

Temper, temper.

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