Needleless intravenous device and iv therapy.

debbyed · Nov 3, 2001

Instead of metal needles everything is made from a hard plastic. The ports in the IV tubing are made from a special (rubber type )material which allows the plastic to penetrate like a needle. Was created to cut down on needle stick incidents.

misti_z · Nov 3, 2001

Our needleless system is a little different than what debbyed described (or I could be reading it wrong just got off work :rolleyes: ), but our ports on the tubing are blue that allow a syringe (after needle has been removed) to screw onto the port. It's really good with absolutely no risk for needle sticks. It is called CLAVE.

Here are some pics:

1--The port itself....

2--This is the extension that connects to the IV catheter, the IV tubing connects to the end or a syringe can screw on to give IVP meds......

3--Example of syringe screwed on....

4--IV tubing shown here, at left is where it would connect to extension shown in pic 2, on up the tubing is a port for IVP or to attach tubing (e.g. PCA)....

Okay sorry, got carried away Was having fun!

One other advantage is that the ports have a valve as well, so it a TLC gets left unclamped there is not worry of blood escaping :)

P_RN, ADN, RN · Nov 4, 2001

We used the BAXTER company Interlink System.

http://www.life-assist.com/interlinkguide.html

Here is a page with a lot of IV devices

http://www.life-assist.com/iv/iv.html

We also used the J&J protectIV catheters.

http://www.life-assist.com/cath/protectiv.html

deespoohbear · Nov 4, 2001

A great thing about the Clave system is you cannot access it with a needle. It doesn't work. We tried when the sales rep at our hospital showing us how to use the system. I really like it. It has take some getting use to, but now I love it. We also have the clave spikes that you can put in a vial (such as Lasix) and then draw the medicine in the syringe without a needle. You can leave the spike in the vial if it is a multi-dose vial. All facilities were suppose to switch to needleless systems last summer.

misti_z · Nov 4, 2001

I do like the CLAVE system too. We have not yet got the spikes although that is supposed to be on its way.

Doey, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2001

Love the CLAVE. Haven't heard about the spikes before though. Sounds good. Think I'll mention it.

mustangsheba · Nov 5, 2001

Most of the hospitals in this area have both systems, but all have one or the other. One of the positives is that they are more secure.

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2001

I like the CLAVE's too but I don't like that you can't actually attach a 1cc syringe to them. Our 1cc syringes don't have threads to screw onto anything. I think they call them slip tips. Anyway, they won't stay attached to those CLAVE's. And I very commonly have to give med volumes under 1cc IVP.

NurseTami · Nov 5, 2001

Last night I had to give .96 ml of solumedrol. I dreew it up intoo a tuberculin/1cc syringe, only to find the needles on our new ones do not disconnect! SO! I got a 3cc syringe, disconnected the needle and squirted the med up into the 3cc syringe- TADA! Solumedrol, measured and ready to push!

Now- if any of you more experienced nurses read this and say you shouldn't do that, please let me knoow- it was the only solution I could think of but I am open to suggestion!

NurseDennie, BSN, RN · Nov 6, 2001

Hi

The hospital I worked for adapted those needless ports a couple of years ago. The first batch they got didn't work so well, and it was very frustrating. When you got everything all set up and tried to flush the fluid through the lines, it wouldn't go. Bummage.

After they got whatever the problem was fixed they worked fine.

I don't really see the big deal. I've never heard of anybody having a needle stick using an IV port, have you? On the other hand, I think it's cool that you don't have any reason for some goofus to put a needle on a port rather than a dead-ender. That annoyed me, and was against hospital policy, but I don't recall anybody ever getting hurt from one of those, either.

I don't see anything wrong with drawing something up in a tuberculine syringe and then transferring it to the 3 cc. Except for the extra step for you. Maybe the tuberculine syringes will come with the luer lock top that will fit those ports pretty soon.

So everybody's all concerned with needle sticks and the problem is getting a lot of attention from OSHA and whatever. These are relatively easy fix solutions, I think, and undoubtedly fairly cheap. What about back injuries? What about other injuries caused by having to do too much, too quickly. I'd even suspect that needle stick injuries happened more in low-staff situations than in more advantageous situations. I don't know, but I'd betcha.

Love

Dennie

NurseDennie, BSN, RN · Nov 6, 2001

Hi again.

Sorry. Did that sound crabby? Probably. I have a cold and I can't breathe through my nose, so I'm crabby.

I guess it seemed to me that everybody is always on about protecting us from our patients and in ways that haven't appeared to ME to be a problem to begin with. But maybe that's because what they've done has worked and this hasn't been a problem in my experience because of stuff like this changing.

Ah, who knows?

Love

Dennie