Vented tubing for lipids?

[KaeliF]

Hi, I am a new nurse and I got called off tonight so I'm sitting up, reading over some of the skills I haven't done yet so I can be ready when they come up! I've never administer lipid emulsion before, and I found it says that you must use "vented tubing" for this. What exactly does that mean? Do you just pop the vent open on the normal tubing, like you would for hanging a med in a glass bottle, or is there a specific type of tubing I need? Looked all over the internet and books and can't find an answer!

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

thank you IVRUS for the clarification. I reverted back to add on filter I use for Remicade. Yes..... an in line filter would be safer especially for a 3 in 1 home patient who may not make certain that connection is tight enough and they often sleep during those long overnight infusions and that could come loose.

[tokebi]

Speaking of filters, on the unit where I had my senior practicum, we hung TPN with the filter, and lipid without it. My preceptor explained the lipid will clog it, so I'm guessing the filter we used was the 0.2 micron one. My question is, does lipid have less tendency to introduce air or bacteria than TPN for the facility not insisting on 1.2 micron filter? Also, why don't we use the filter for all IVs?

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

You do not need to use a filter for lipid only infusions unless you have a 3 in 1 preparation. Again these are when the lipids and TPN are mixed in a large bag. These are often used in home care. Yes, you are correct if you try and administer lipids through a .22 micron filter it will eventually occlude it. The main reason in my opinion that filters are not routinely used for IV therapies is the COST. Also there are some IV medications that you would not want to use them b/c you can lose some of the medication b/c of trapping in the filter.