Sodium Bicarb Compatability

[BlueEyedRN]

The past couple of days I had a patient who had sodium bicarb in her IV fluid. Yesterday during report, the night nurse told me that she decided not to write me up this time, but I had hung zosyn with the IV fluid and this was a big no-no. I was totally surprised and I dragged her over to the compatability chart that said that everything I had hung with the bicarb was compatable. I wouldn't do it otherwise. I asked the charge nurse later and she said that you never hang anything with bicarb. It just doesn't make sense to me because the chart had several things that it said were okay. Do any of you know about this?

[oMerMero]

The whole thought behind "never hang anything with sodium bicarb" is an old idea, that many nurses still follow...that is the way they were taught. Sodium bicarb is uncompatable with many things, but you are right, there are some that are compatable. When you have sodiumm bicarb running, just make sure you check the compatabilty with all drugs you are giving...like you did.