Priming

[ohbet]

I know this is a very basic procedural question

but I have obviously not learned it

I have a difficult time priming IV tubing quickly.

I always end up with bubbles somewhere in the tubing.

I have tried letting the fluid go to only the first back check valve then inverting,tapping air out of the valve then continuing to the other parts of the tubing that need to be inverted and tapped. Iv also tried letting the fluid go thru the entire tubing,then interting and taping

The end results is air in the line.

If I have air in the line ,how much is acceptable and safe,or does it all have to come out.

Im not bad with the iv sticks,just priming the damn line.

Any Hints?

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

For a healthy adult they say a whole line of air is not likely to hurt them, but as your patients get smaller as less robut they may have a problem.

I prime as you said, tapping the bubbles out, but invert and just give 3-4 bangs with my pen at each y connect and move on quickly. I guess my air limit would be those tiny bubbles on the side of the line, but would ditch the ones that fill the circumference of the tubing. Opening the clamp fully and lowering the end of the tubing produces a good flow that washes everything right through in seconds.

Of course with infants and art lines every visible bubble has to be eliminated.

[ohbet]

Thanks for your feed back canoe.

Your saying you just tap 3-4 times at each y connect and then move on? So Ive been agonizing over every damn bubble,as I was taught in school,which is only a waste of time.

In the future Ill get most of them out with a few taps and then let all the fluid thru and move on ,thank you