Hanging IV bags

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Hello everyone I just had a quick question. At work one day I saw a nurse hang a new bag of 5% Dextrose on the same tubing the 5% Dextrose 0.45%NACL was hanging on. The doctor discontinued the 5% dextrose 0.45%NACL and wanted the 5%dextose to be started. My question is should she have got a new tubing for the dextrose since it wasn't all the way the same order? And if so would that hurt the patient. Thank you for your help:)

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.

tubing is only about 20cc's. I dont change the tubing. I think it's inconsequential and wasteful. just disconnect from the patient and flush it out until you feel that its all D5 now.

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Specializes in ICU/ER/L&D.

There is no need to change tubing unless there is an important reason to do so, for example, if the med previously infusing is not compatible with the new med, if the patient was allergic to the previous med, the tubing is due to be changed by facility protocol, etc.

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Specializes in Coronary Rehab Unit.
There is no need to change tubing unless there is an important reason to do so, for example, if the med previously infusing is not compatible with the new med, if the patient was allergic to the previous med, the tubing is due to be changed by facility protocol, etc.

^^^This^^^

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I agree.. No need to change unless there is a specific reason..

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Specializes in ICU & Med/Surg.

What is your hospital policy? Where I work, IV tubing is changed every 24 hours. Other than that, there is no reason not to use the same tubing. :nurse:

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Specializes in Oncology.
What is your hospital policy? Where I work, IV tubing is changed every 24 hours. Other than that, there is no reason not to use the same tubing. :nurse:

For ALL meds? Some of our meds are q12h, some q24h, and most q96h.

While I don't doubt this is your policy, it does seem a bit excessive and wasteful in most scenarios. I'm just wondering what evidence it's based on and how they came to that policy.

Are the floors like this, or just the ICU?

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Specializes in Vascular Access.
Hello everyone I just had a quick question. At work one day I saw a nurse hang a new bag of 5% Dextrose on the same tubing the 5% Dextrose 0.45%NACL was hanging on. The doctor discontinued the 5% dextrose 0.45%NACL and wanted the 5%dextose to be started. My question is should she have got a new tubing for the dextrose since it wasn't all the way the same order? And if so would that hurt the patient. Thank you for your help:)

I too would not worry about this practice in this case. Your rule of thumb is to first assess compatibility between what is hanging and what you want to hang next. In this case, the solutions are compatible and as long as the tubing is still within date (for your organization - which in many cases is 72 hours), hang the D5W.

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I would continue to use the same line and be sure the lines are changed every 72 hours or as per your hospital protocol..

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