Help Phenergan & Picc Line????

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when a person has a picc line do u need to dilute phenergan with 10 ml ns >???

Specializes in CCRN-CSC.

as a rule that we do at my hospital. if what ever you're giving is from the vial and if it's only about 1ml, it's best to dilute it. like ativan especially?! man, that thing is like syrup, so dilute it.

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Dilute dilute dilute.... it won't hurt anything (well as long as its compatible with what your diluting with).

You need at least a 10mL syringe anyways for a picc line so might as well dilute it. (I was taught in school to dilute everything)

I personally find it easier to push that whole 10ml over 2 min than trying to do 2ml over 2 min. Or whatever the push rates are...

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alright sorry for beating a dead horse, but if vesicants are administered in a 'safer way' via central lines--blood diluting the vesicant, and phenergan is a vesicant that can cause necrosis to subcutaneous tissue, then it would seem contrary to be able to inject phenergan IM yes? I understand that muscles have greater blood supply than subcutaneous tissue, however it seems counterintuitive for a vesicating agent to be able to be administered via IM?

or is my line of thinking way outta wack. thank you to all nurses who help clarify!:typing:up:

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

Due to the turbulent blood flow at the cavoatrial junction, you do not need to dilute vesicants when giving them via central line. However, diluting in 10mL NS does make it easier to push in a slow, controlled fashion.

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I was always told to dilute phenergan in 50mL's of NS and then hang it over 30 minutes. I heard horror stories of phernergan causing bot only burning but cardiac problems as well. So dilution is your safest bet, not matter what line it is :)

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Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

Phenergan or any chemotherapeutic agent can be give through a PICC line and it will not damage the catheter. Most PICCs that get a hole in them have happened b/c of use of small syringes and inproper Tpa administration. PICC lines are made from a variety of catheter materials,the most common are silicone and polyurethane. A PICC is a central line with the tip residing in the distal SVC (for the most part there are exceptions) and this tip location provides excellent hemodilution. The only thing we do not like to give through a PICC is Dilantin b/c so often the nurses precipitate it and we lose our line. Many hospitals advice against the use of Dilantin for that reason. I can't think of anything else that can't be give. PS...TPN ....tip should be in the SVC.

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just flush before and after with 10ml ns flush

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