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Unless you work for the executioners, NEVER PUSH IV POTASSIUM!! (they use that as part of the lethal injection)! In fact, any IV potassium, K-rider and all that, should be on a pump and in our institution, preferably on a cardiac monitor, but that is not always available.
I will often ask one of our docs to order KCL IV push for the annoying family members though!
The only IV antibiotic that I know you CAN push is Ancef. I think all others must be hung piggyback?
I have never heard that about the lasix? I push lasix pretty fast when we have patients in severe CHF, and I have not seen any ill effects from it.
I know you should not push Reglan fast, or it could cause dystonic reactions, but it can be pushed.
It is debatable whether or not Haldol can be pushed. We do it all the time, but I have heard some nurses say that in thier institution, they are not allowed to.
Lasix can be pushed in small doses, but anything over 80mg should be buretted and given no faster than 4mg/min - no need to dilute. The big worry, deafness-wise, is gentamycin - we push up to 240mg in patients under 80, with no preexisting hearing loss. We run vanc in at least 150 ml over at least 90 min. Can't remember everything else - we have a book at every drug prep area which has how to prepare all the injectables - dilutants for drawing up(N/S, 5%, H2O, sodi bic), final volume, compatabilities for administration, permissable routes, and time of administration (push, two minute push etc).
newgrad2005
120 Posts
Please help! I can not find a list of meds that should never be given IV push. Does anyone know where I can find one?
Thanks!