Experienced nurses help- heparin subq question....

[IHeartPeds87]

Hi there please help!!! Brand new nurse here on med surg unit at night, busy unit, too many preceptor and scared!!!

Patient going for ERCP-are you supposed to hold subq heparin??

Thanks...

[ArmaniX, MSN, APRN]

Simple call the doctor and ask if he would like any dose of the heparin to be held. You cannot make that decision without speaking to a physician first.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Hi there please help!!! Brand new nurse here on med surg unit at night, busy unit, too many preceptor and scared!!!

Patient going for ERCP-are you supposed to hold subq heparin??

Thanks...

You are supposed to contact the prescribing physician for give or hold orders.

[AJJKRN]

As others had suggested...call the MD. This really is more MD specific and no hard and fast rule but more of a MD's preference really.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I concur with the rest of the respondents who have suggested that the physician needs to be notified so he/she can decide whether to administer or hold the heparin.

[nynursey_]

It depends on what the patient is on SQ Heparin for. Many are on for VTE prophylaxis and thus also have TED stockings and SCDs. Holding one dose of SQ Heparin for VTE prophylaxis isn't going to hurt the patient in the grand scheme of things, but post-op bleeding or intra-op bleeding could potentially hurt the patient. I always make a valiant attempt to page the physician, but if they aren't responding, or I can't reach them prior to the procedure, then I exercise nursing judgment and hold it until I can verify with a prescriber.