Amount of n/s flush after adminstering morphine.

[saulgoodman]

hello,

How much normal saline would you use to flush the line withafter adminstering 0.5ml-1ml of morphine sulphate via s/c butterfly?

And i can only assume that the reason to flush after adminstering morphine is to keep the lines patent.

thanks!

[Twincere]

I usually flush with 3cc of NS. 1) yes to keep the line patent 2) you don't want the tail end of what you pushed to remain in the hub, this way, the NS helps "flush" it into circulation. Hoep that helps some.

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

We don't flush after giving s/q drugs. We just give the morphine - any drug left gets pushed in by the next dose.

because this is s/q, the line can't get clogged.

Plus, pushing in an extra 3 cc of fluid will cause the site to deteriorate quicker and mean more re-sites of the butterfly.

[AirforceRN, RN]

I'm with Pepper on this one. We prime the line with the desired drug then just push as needed.

[Twincere]

My bad--I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking about that part of it being subcutaneuous...I was just thinking that this was a saline lock or heplock, my hospital doesn't use sc buterrflies.

[meadow85]

What a relief! I recently administered Morphine via SC butterfly and didn't flush with NS afterwards. At the time I was concerned that the morphine would be sitting in the line, but I had never heard of flushing with NS either, especially when the needle is in the subcutaneous tissue.

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

My bad--I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking about that part of it being subcutaneuous...I was just thinking that this was a saline lock or heplock, my hospital doesn't use sc buterrflies.

That was my suspicion when i read your answer! no worries - they take a little adjusting to.

What a relief! I recently administered Morphine via SC butterfly and didn't flush with NS afterwards. At the time I was concerned that the morphine would be sitting in the line, but I had never heard of flushing with NS either, especially when the needle is in the subcutaneous tissue

no worries - you did exactly right. Don't flush!