Iv push question

[freckles96]

I have a question about iv push meds, I haven't had the chance to give a lot of them yet in school but I had a few questions about them. If I have a patient with fluids running and the iv push is compatible, I flush the line, "pinch the tubing" (if that's the right wording) give the iv push at the specific rate and then flush again? If the Iv push is incompatible, would you stop the pump disconnect, flush, give the med, flush again? I know if you're running insulin or heparin or critical meds that can't be stopped you wouldn't be able to do that. I assume at that point you would start a dedicated iv push site. I was just thinking it would pose a risk to have multiple iv sites because you increase the risk of infection, but I understand needing to have dedicated sites. I might be overthinking this but I wanted to ask and see what others do.

[InnovativeRN, BSN, RN]

You are correct in your procedure; however, It is not uncommon for patients to have more than one iv site. The risk of infection from a peripheral iv is fairly minimal, if hygeine procedures are followed correctly. Working in the icu setting, most of our patients have at least two iv sites. Many drugs require a dedicated line. This is usually due to compatibility issues. As you said, critical drips cannot be stopped to give other meds (antibiotics, etc.).

[PaSSiNGaS, MSN]

You are correct in the way to flush things, but just realize many places make ridiculous rules on what can run together based on ZERO actual evidence. Many places want insulin and all these other meds to run separate and when you have a patient on 12 different gtts it just isn't possible. You can run many things together that "they" say no to and it will be just fine.

[audreysmagic, RN]

Unrelated, but OP's user name made me smile..."Freckles" is the name my hospital uses for the generic patient in competency testing...