Question from a past clinical rotation. IV kept occluding, couldn't walk away before it was beeping even after. As a student at the time, I was not allowed to do any IV care without the RN or instructor other than pause, reset, adjust kinks out of tubing, etc. RN and Instructor not available to fix, so I paused the IV (NS).
Told RN, she was fine with that and said she'd be in shortly. Found instructor to help with new IV site. Was scolded for pausing the IV because it would clot she said.
So the question is...how is a paused line with NS different from a saline lock...I mean, why wouldn't a saline lock clot but a paused IV (no air, I checked) would clot? And really it was constantly occluded and not running anyway, so did my pausing it hurt anything?
Oh wow, I had no idea there were different types. Does it say on the package what type? So IVRUS, are you saying that if I had wanted to pause the IV for a long time, until we could get a new site, I should flush as you say here depending on type and leave it hooked up and clamped? Sorry, GN here with so much to learn still!
Sillelu,
Some needleless connectors will state on their package which type of connector that they are, others may not. If it doesn't say it on its package, do a quick "google" search and the manufacturer will list it. Your organization also should have instructed you as to its proper use, given the type of connector you use. In this case, however, I would have did just what you did, but then also clamped the extensions set on the IV catheter so that if the patient were to get up to use the BR, that venous pressure would not allow a blood back up inside the IV tubing. No need to dissconnect and flush as that increase manipulation increases bacterial introduction, and you were only giving NSS.
But if the IV was just going to keep on beeping, meaning that fluids are not going in due to whatever the issue was, pausing it would have the same outcome. Either way they are not getting any fluids right?
Thank you for the explanations! That helped a lot...and scolded was too strong of a word really, we were all busy and never had a chance to get back to it to ask, then kind of forgot about it.
The IV was AC and pt couldn't remember to keep arm straight, IV ran great if I stood there keeping arm from bending. We just started a new site. The amount of pressure in SL vs a line makes sense to me about the clotting then, I just though since it was coming from a pump that no blood would be able to back up into the catheter, but I can see how just a small pressure difference and tiny bit of blood can let it clot up.
I'm thinking the RN wasn't concerned because she knew we'd have to start a new site, but instructor wanted me to remember to keep the current line patent until that new line was started I think.
Oh wow, I had no idea there were different types. Does it say on the package what type? So IVRUS, are you saying that if I had wanted to pause the IV for a long time, until we could get a new site, I should flush as you say here depending on type and leave it hooked up and clamped? Sorry, GN here with so much to learn still!
IVRUS, BSN, RN
1,049 Posts
Sillelu,
Some needleless connectors will state on their package which type of connector that they are, others may not. If it doesn't say it on its package, do a quick "google" search and the manufacturer will list it. Your organization also should have instructed you as to its proper use, given the type of connector you use. In this case, however, I would have did just what you did, but then also clamped the extensions set on the IV catheter so that if the patient were to get up to use the BR, that venous pressure would not allow a blood back up inside the IV tubing. No need to dissconnect and flush as that increase manipulation increases bacterial introduction, and you were only giving NSS.