So interesting. We don't run anything with a carrier fluid (in the NICU btw). 1.2 mLs of medication over an hour? Fine. Everything gets into the baby just fine. You aren't administering the meds faster with a carrier, just diluted with more volume. We usually don't have issues with clotting off lines unless the total infused is less than 0.5 ml/hr or so but a bigger catheter may need more of a rate. We prime the tubing with the medication so as soon as the pump starts, it is delivering the medication.
It will eventually get to the patient. The problem comes with things like Levophed or Vasopressin that are only running at a few mls/hr and you are just starting them. When you first start them you want it to start working immediately and if you have to wait for it to get there at 5ml/hr it would take too long so you run it with a carrier at a higher rate. The elephant in the room to me though is how everyone wants to run insulin in a separate line.
I have ran insulin alone if I have a lumen I can dedicate to it. Generally with DKA I never have that opportunity so I will run whatever is compatible y-port to my insulin so that it is chasing it and keeping the line patent. I don't believe I have specifically ran a KVO due to the low infusion rate.
MarvelousMistyRN
2 Posts
Hey ya'll. I have a very random question. I always always taught that if you have an IV drip set to less than 10ml an hour that you need a carrier for it so that it will get to the patient. I just started my first travel nurse job and this unit does not believe in that. They will run an insulin drip at 2ml an hour to a line by itself. Wondering what everyone else does? I've only ever worked at one facility since I was a new grad so what I was doing is all I know!
thanks!