If one patient only has one IV access site, and is on one unit of blood transfusion such as PRBC which will finish after 15 minutes, and at the same time if a doctor prescribes Lasix IV STAT, there would be two options to give Lasix IV STAT:
1. Do IV cannulation to open a new IV access, in order to give Lasix IV STAT. The procedure of IV cannualtion perhaps will spend ten minutes. Although it is an invasive procedure, Lasix IV can be given 5 minutes earlier before the blood transfusion finishes.
2. Wait 15 minutes for the blood transfusion to finish. After 15 minutes, flush and use the same IV access site to give Lasix. However, it is not given as STAT, as 15 minutes passed.
Perhaps your understanding about "a dedicated infusion line" is not complete.
Could anyone please explain any additional meaning of "a dedicated infusion line"?
It basically just means that you can't run anything else in that line together with the blood. If you want to give an IV medication and all you have is that one line, you can still give the medication through that line as long as you stop the transfusion and flush the line. Your question sounds like something out of a textbook. In real life nursing, the answer will depend on facility policy. I personally never encountered an order to give IV Lasix during a blood transfusion. Usually, patients on fluid overload who need a transfusion will be given IV Lasix pre-transfusion. If you want a textbook definition of "dedicated infusion line", read your textbook.
I would say the "line" = the tubing which goes from the medication or blood to the IV access port. So pause the blood, flush the port, push the Lasix, flush the port, then resume the blood transfusion through the dedicated tubing. No other med should go through that tubing.
Why is everyone ok with doing the OPs homework?! @Wuzzieit was nice of you to go out of your way to answer their question in detail. The least OP could do is be grateful and not ask for “better” answers!
Any additional meaning of "a dedicated infusion line" is welcome.
I hope you are taking a better attitude than this to your clinical placements. Being rude to other people after they have tried to help you doesn’t tend to go well.
The original post aims to open discussion at this forum and make some members lack of experience to become more confident to practice blood transfusion, if not confident to do it before.
The original post aims to open discussion at this forum and make some members lack of experience to become more confident to practice blood transfusion, if not confident to do it before.
Baloney! You practically ordered us to give you answers to your question and then when I took the time to do so you told me I didn't have a complete understanding of the subject which is hogwash. You've done this to other posters as well. If you want a discussion the way to go about it is not by being rude and evasive. Nobody learns in that environment.
Nursing Au
73 Posts
Perhaps your understanding about "a dedicated infusion line" is not complete.
Could anyone please explain any additional meaning of "a dedicated infusion line"?