Do you cap off a discountinued IV?

[northmississippi]

If you are discountinuing an IV, Do you cap the end of the tube or is cutting it off with the roller clamp enough?

[Aurora77]

It depends. If I'm going to reuse the tubing later, the end must be capped. If I'm just throwing it away, it doesn't matter.

[MunoRN, RN]

Are you referring to discontinuing the IV tubing, or the IV itself?

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

If you are discountinuing an IV, Do you cap the end of the tube or is cutting it off with the roller clamp enough?

If I'm discontinuing the IV, I'm going to remove the IV, catheter and all. If I'm simply discontinuing an infusion of some sort, then I'm going to make a lock out of it and cap the end of the extension tubing as I would be expecting to reuse it later for another infusion. Make sense?

[northmississippi]

if its vancomycin and your going the throw the bag and tube away.

[Gooselady, BSN, RN]

No need to cap if the roller-lock occludes the tubing, unless your facility has a policy about always capping tossed IV/lines (which I've yet to hear of?). I use a fresh female cap on the tubing if it is to be reused.

[klone, MSN, RN]

if its vancomycin and your going the throw the bag and tube away.

If you are not reusing the tubing, and it's just going in the trash, why would you need to cap it?

[SierraBravo]

Why would you throw away the set after each dose? Why not just cap it and reuse the set?

[CTnewgrad826]

I assume you mean you finished the however many days course of vanco and you will not be administering it again. No need to cap, just toss it

[klone, MSN, RN]

Why would you throw away the set after each dose? Why not just cap it and reuse the set?

The OP didn't say anything about each dose, only when it's being d/ced. I was assuming after the last dose and it's no longer needed.