Have you seen this before?

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Specializes in Neuroscience/Brain and Stroke.

I'm a nursing student and was just curious if any nurses have ever seen this before. I walked into a patient's room to draw her blood and when I straightened out her arm she had an IV in the AC, but attached to it was some gauze, alcohol pads and a saline flush, I know those are normal things to use on an IV, but to leave them there? The flush was actually attached to the IV port with gauze and alcohol pads around it. I have never seen it before so I figured I would ask and see if any of you have and what the purpose of that would be.

Thanks

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Specializes in CICU.

Maybe it was just started and the person starting it had to leave in a hurry? Seems weird.

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Specializes in Neuroscience/Brain and Stroke.

It's been there a while, patient is sound asleep, lights out, nurse was at the desk charting, it's the middle of the night here so I don't think it's that.

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Specializes in CICU.

If the nurse is at the desk, you should probably ask him or her... They'll know better than anyone in a on-line forum.

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

Sounds like someone was just being careless. They probably accessed the IV and then had to leave in a hurry, or just forgot to clean up all the supplies.

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