Flushes for saline locks

[ClaraDee]

I am reviewing our policy for pediatric IVs and saline locks. What is current practice for infants 28days to age 13? Is anyone using heparin anymore to flush with? Thanks for you help

[mbeasttbelle]

I have only used heparin flush on one kid in my 3 yrs. Usually if they have a 24 gauge in we TKO the fluids at 5ml/hr just to keep the site. If they have a 22 or 20 ga. in and the doc wants to SL them, we flush with saline q 8 hrs. Hope this helps.

[ECUPirateRN]

We use heparinized saline to flush all of our IVs regardless of size. It probably isn't necessary for the kids who come up from the OR with 20s but I think it is really out of habit! Even our little kids who have 24s are heplocked. The sites stay patent even without having fluids at a KVO rate.

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

24G IVs are the only ones we flush with heparin- first a saline flush of 2-3 mL and then 1/2mL of 10-unit heparin. The bigger IVs we just use plain saline. We flush IVs every 6-8 hours if they do not have running IVF.

[nocangel2]

Saline locks for PIVs Q8hr, PICC lines get heparin Q12. All ages. If you do a lit search you will find that the newest research reflects that fact that there is no great incidnece of clotting with saline vs heparin as long as turbulent flushing techinque is used. Hope that helps.