Non-weight-based heparin protocol

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Is anyone here using a non-weight-based heparin protocol for dosing patients on heparin drips? I heard of a hospital near me that is switching to this, due to excessive errors being made by nurses using the traditional, weight-based protocol. Is anyone familiar with anything in "the literature" regarding this? I have looked, & could not find anything.

Thank you in advance.

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

Never heard of it. We use the weight-based protocol at my facility. I'm interested to see if other places are implementing this non-weight-based protocol, though.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

In our ER, I have started people on both weight based and non weight based protocols. Yesterday I had a suspected PE pt (could not give her contrast for a CT d/t borderline kidney fcn). She was started on a wt based hep. protocol. I believe NSTEMI is one of the situatuations where we usually use a non-weight based protocol.

For us, it has to do with medical research on the issues, not hx. of nurse errors. With computerized pumps it is much more difficult to make an error on a weight based calculuation...i.e. you enter a weight (OK, it's in kg so technically it is a mass ;)) and enter enter a dose (say 12 units/kg/hr). Based on the standard concentration of our hep. gtts, the pump calculates and runs at the correct weight.

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