Silly question about 3 mL prefilled NS syringes

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Hi All!

This is a silly question but I can't seem to figure it out....

At my clinical site, we flush peripheral IVs with prefilled 3 mL NS syringes

Now, I have used 5 mL and 10 mL when appropriate in other instances and never had this problem but for some reason with the 3 mL everytime I try to push the air bubble out, I push about half the NS out of the syringe! It happens every time no matter how gentle or slow I try to push! I asked my instructor if there's a little trick to this and she said it just takes practice. She laughs at me every time I do it. lol It's not a big deal but I'd like to know how to do it without wasting 1.5 mL of NS every time!

Any tips/tricks?

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The trick I learned is to pull back slightly on the plunger to break the seal and then push.

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Use the 5 ml syringe.. and stop worrying about it!

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Specializes in NICU.

Agree: pull back first. I've done it plenty myself - it IS funny though.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Nurse Manager.

The secret is to pull back first.

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Thanks guys! I'll give that a try! haha there's only 3 mL available... I thought about just using 5 to save myself from looking completely foolish but no such luck :)

Too bad my instructor couldn't just give me that tip earlier

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Specializes in Rehab, critical care.

What they said. Just use the 5 or 10 ml syringe, no harm in flushing with a little extra saline. :). And, it just takes practice. Your post took me back a few years.... I remember the first few times I would get my 10 ml syringe ready to flush when I was in clinical back in school, I would squirt the thing and it would shoot all over the place from the pressure lol. You just get better at things as you do them more :).

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Specializes in Orthopedic, LTC, STR, Med-Surg, Tele.

I don't like those little 3mL ones, I find that if there is blood backed up in the extension set 3mL isn't enough to clear it. Just my personal preference though, I take a zillion 10 mLs at the start of every shift :)

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Specializes in CICU.

Yup, pull back to break the seal - learned that the hard way, but it did make my preceptor AND the patient laugh...

I only use the 10s with central lines, they don't stock as many in the Pyxis and I am too lazy to make my own...

HalfMarathoner - we use J Loops so 3s are plenty to clear them. What kind of extension are you talking about?

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Specializes in Orthopedic, LTC, STR, Med-Surg, Tele.

7.25 inch extension set, with the blue clave on the end. After the pt is saline locked, sometimes we get a little backup of blood into the extension set which mixes with the saline.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Why do you use such a long extension? I have used those for the OR but for the floor it seems like over kill. OP....pull back slightly to break the seal and gentle pressure to purge the air....you'll get better.

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Sometimes I squirt the flush out across the room on purpose to try to make my patient's laugh. Have you ever had a 3-year old look at you all "that lady is CRAY ZEE"? Cause I have ;)

Pull back to break the seal and you need less pressure to squeeze the air bubble out.

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