Heparin Protocol

putmetosleep · Jan 15, 2008

I think this person was asking if it was ok to run the heparin thru a pump but Y it into the main line. I dont think she/he meant to run the heparin off the pump.
I understand why your "cohort" told you that you cannot do that. The reason she probably said you couldnt do it was because if you are running any IV piggyback antibiotics thru that main line you are increasing the flowrate of the main IV and therefore your patient would get a bolus of the med that is Y'ed into the main line. That therory goes for any drug that you would Y into a main line IV. The other reason that I don't like to Y any drug into the main IV is compatibility issues. There are some meds that are not compatible with certain antibiotics and there is a chance that someone will hang a antibiotic piggyback with the main IV and a incompatible drug will be Y'ed into the main IV and that particular nurse just might not think about checking compatiblility with something that is Y'ed into the site.

Good point, I didn't think to mention it but of course it's important to ALWAYS check drug compatibility before combining any drugs. I'm kind of a freak about it, do it automatically, so didn't think to mention it :)

When I would Y Heparin into another line, it would be something like NTG, where I knew I wouldn't be running any Abx or anything else that would increase the flow rate. Hope we actually got the OP questions answered!

truern · Jan 15, 2008

We run heparin, cardizem, etc as the primary infusion...each with their own IV site.