Taking down IV Chemo

[StillsmilingRN]

How do you take down IV chemo? For instance. Pt has cytoxan going for 2 hours. Pt has NS with cytoxan piggyback (pump 1) and D5NS (pump 2) then on another pump Mesna (pump 3)is going. Since all is connected do u take down the complete set of tubes and bags and start new? It is a closed system. Do you only take down the chemo off the piggyback? Or do you take down all of the one pump that the chemo was running through.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

I always took down all the chemo and all the bags that were attached. It is a closed system, but once you've got chemo running into a line, the entire system is exposed at least minimally to the chemo.

[lookingrn]

I'm wondering about this, because everyone on my floor will just take down the secondary and leave the line, esp if it has continuous fluid going. I do the same thing, because that's how I learned it, but I agree, the whole system is exposed to the chemo and that does not seem like a good thing.

[SunshineDaisy, ASN, RN]

Hmm, I believe on our floor they just take off the piggy back. I'm not sure, have not hung chemo yet. The few I have seen have just been in for an infusion, so are only there for a few hours and then go home.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

http://nursing.uchc.edu/nursing_standards/docs/Chemotherapy%20Administration.pdf

This is kind of an obscure reference, but this step-by-step for chemo admin references discarding of the chemo bag and all tubing after the infusion on page 5 continuing to page 6, points 5 in both the left and right columns.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Intravenous (IV) chemotherapy : Cancer Research UK : CancerHelp UK

Here's instruction from across the pond that references removing the chemotherapy bags and tubing after the infusion.

The equipment your nurse uses to give your chemotherapy, such as syringes, needles and plastic tubing has to be disposed of carefully.