Primary fluids and piggyback meds

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Quick question.. Can you piggyback meds off ANY primary fluid that is running? I know the primary fluid will stop while the piggyback is running, but there is still fluid from the primary in the line when the piggyback starts.

I know I can piggyback off NS, but what if a pt has D5 1/2NS with 20 k+? Or just D5?

Do I need to check each med if they are running anything besides NS? Thanks!

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

You need to check compatibility of the primary (whatever it is) against the piggybacks (whatever that is) because some medications aren't compatible with non-normal saline fluids.

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Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.

As said above you would need to check the compatibility of the fluids. With end stage palliative patients who are on a niki pump we use sterile water as opposed to n/saline as there are some risk for interactions between saline and many of the drugs we may use

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Anyone have any good apps that will not only test med compatibility, but med/fluid compatibility?

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

Every unit I ever worked had compatibility charts in the med room for med to med & med to fluid compatibility.

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Our hospital has a link to Lexicomp on the electronic MAR for each medication. We used to use Micromedx but for some reason switched over to Lexicomp a while back. Either way, you should have access to some type of medication information system on your computers.

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