Pushing 0.5 ml med into a central line

[Neverbefore]

Hi everyone,

I'm a new nurse.

The other day I had to give a patient 0.5 mL of benadryl IV push. He had a chest port (central line).

The benadryl was in a 1ml vial.

Here is how I did it. Please tell me if there is a better way.

I got my smallest syringe, 3ml, and drew up the 0.5 mL.

I knew I had to give the med in a 10ml syringe (since it's a central line), so I took a 10 ml syringe of normal saline, squirted out about half of it, then injected the 0.5 mL into that, (my drug guide said you can dilute it).

The thing that bothered me about this is that 0.5 mL is such a tiny amount, and it seems like by the time I inject it into the 10 mL syringe, I've already lost some just from the transfer--like some of it was probably stuck to the sides of the original syringe and needle, etc. I feel like the patient isn 't getting the full dose.

What do you think? Should I be concerned about this? What do you do?

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

Just throwing this out there (open to suggestions).

Use 3 ml syringe to draw up 0.5 ml of Benadryl. Waste. Take 10 ml flush, get rid of a little bit of NS, draw up rest of Benadryl from original vial.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

You know there's some poor type A nursing student reading this and wanting to scream, "But what's the RIGHT way?????"

[joe17]

Just throwing this out there (open to suggestions).

Use 3 ml syringe to draw up 0.5 ml of Benadryl. Waste. Take 10 ml flush, get rid of a little bit of NS, draw up rest of Benadryl from original vial.

i agree with dudette

or get a 2ml syringe withdraw 0.5 ml of benadryl and push it staright to central line and flushed it after with 10ml of n/saline..simple no mixing no hassle straight forward...just becareful with air you introduce...:rotfl:

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

You know there's some poor type A nursing student reading this and wanting to scream, "But what's the RIGHT way?????"

I used to be that type A nursing student. After six months of being a nurse, it's now all about "Does it makes sense?" and "Does it get the job done?" Good enough for me!

[scimajor]

I totally agree, this is how I give everything that doesn't have to my dilluted, and really push the benadryl then go slower on the flush.