NEW NURSE with a question!!!

tridil2000, MSN, RN · Jul 10, 2006

I am not sure but I'll take a stab at it.
B/c it is isotonic?
Hey, I have had flow problems with a 20g before, therefore, I personally prefer to use a larger bore IV catheter.

i haven't in 20 years.

did you know in peds they'll even try to get it through a 22g!!!!?

quick survey... do any of you put prbcs on your pumps?

allnurses Guide · Jul 10, 2006

i haven't in 20 years.
did you know in peds they'll even try to get it through a 22g!!!!?
quick survey... do any of you put prbcs on your pumps?

Considering that blood makes it through your capillaries, it can go through a 22, the possiblity of damage to the cells is greater though. I'd dilute with some saline first.

We have blood pump tubing, so yes, we have put PRBCs on a pump.

PANurseRN1 · Jul 10, 2006

Considering that blood makes it through your capillaries, it can go through a 22, the possiblity of damage to the cells is greater though. I'd dilute with some saline first.
We have blood pump tubing, so yes, we have put PRBCs on a pump.

This is always an excellent point. I've given blood through a 24g to pedi pts. with no problem.

I can understand the use of large bore IVs in trauma situations, when you want to dump a lot of fluids into the pt. very quickly, but most people will do quite nicely with a 22g for most infusions. The rule of thumb is to use the smallest bore possible to do the infusion.

irish_std/n · Jul 10, 2006

You said you need to know this because you have a test tomorrow. Made it sound like it's on the test.

how's she gona learn if she doesn't ask??? Its not like she's in the exam and saying "pssst.........tazzi whats the answer???"

Gompers, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2006

i haven't in 20 years.
did you know in peds they'll even try to get it through a 22g!!!!?
quick survey... do any of you put prbcs on your pumps?

In Neonatal we only use 24 gauge IVs and we give all types of blood products through them.

We do use pumps, so that helps with keeping it flowing, of course. We use IV bags and infusion pumps for regular fluids and syringe pumps for blood and medications.

Altra, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2006

quick survey... do any of you put prbcs on your pumps?

In my hospital they run prbcs on pumps on the floors, but in the ER where I work that's rare - we run blood, and mostly everything else for that matter, wide open.

Gompers, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2006

how's she gona learn if she doesn't ask??? Its not like she's in the exam and saying "pssst.........tazzi whats the answer???"

I think sometimes it just gets a teeny bit annoying that all students have to do nowadays is post a question on the internet and tons of people answer it. Back when most of us were in school, we actually had to look things up! If it wasn't in our books, we'd have to ask somebody - an instructor or a nurse at clinicals. It just seems way too easy these days!

PANurseRN1 · Jul 10, 2006

I think sometimes it just gets a teeny bit annoying that all students have to do nowadays is post a question on the internet and tons of people answer it. Back when most of us were in school, we actually had to look things up! If it wasn't in our books, we'd have to ask somebody - an instructor or a nurse at clinicals. It just seems way too easy these days!

And it's a disincentive for students to take the time to research. It's like the "Help me write my care plan," "What's the NANDA dx. for...," "Give me a topic for my term paper," etc. How on earth did those of us who went to school before the computer age learn?

Oh yeah, that's right...we looked things up in books. We did our own research. Imagine that!

Hoozdo, ADN · Jul 10, 2006

i haven't in 20 years.
did you know in peds they'll even try to get it through a 22g!!!!?
quick survey... do any of you put prbcs on your pumps?

In my MICU we always run PRBC on pumps. We don't use any gauge smaller than an 18 though. If we can't get in an 18 then the pt will get a midline, PICC, or central pretty quick.

AuntieRN · Jul 10, 2006

We were taught you had to run blood thru a pump and to never use anything smaller than an 18g IV cath. But then when I just did my preceptorship in the ER this weekend I was told you could run blood thru a 20g, but that it still had to be on a pump.

nursentj2005 · Jul 11, 2006

NS because that is the only thing it is stable with.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jul 11, 2006

There are several isotonic solutions. NS is used because it is isotonic and is most like the "water" in our blood. It is least likely to "react" to blood or to cause precipitates (clumps). If your patient has a reaction you want the fewest variables possible to consider so you can act appropriately and quickly.