Members are discussing the potential risks and proper procedures for dealing with IV bags running dry, specifically focusing on the possibility of air entering the patient's vein and causing harm. Suggestions include re-priming the tubing, flushing the line, and using a needle to remove air. Some members also mention the importance of using IV pumps for better monitoring and avoiding potential issues with gravity drips.
New grad RN here. Well, we hang our bags to gravity and the other day I got busy and I guess bag was dripping faster than I had planned because when I went back the bag was bone dry. Before I always worked with IV pumps that beeped loudly and went to KVO till you had a chance to get back in the room.
Does this really hurt the pt: ie is there a bunch of air in the vein now - enough to hurt pt? What is the safest, most comfortable way to fix this?
I ended up using a 10cc syringe to try to pull back and get any air out plus check for a blood return, then I flushed the line to ensure patency and clamped it. Then I hung the new bag, re-primed the line, rehooked, unclamped, flushed again then restarted the drip and that seemed to work fine.
NO,, no reason for you to worry about that as a patient. The blood will only back up so far,, not like you will fill the bag with blood. The backflow is as someone else posted normally just a small length then it evens out with gravity.
They should however, flush your port before they put up a new bag if you have blood backup in the tubing.
I work on a postpartum floor and we get the moms over from L&D already stuck so I can't do anything about making sure there is a lock site although there *usually* is.
Our floor is the only one in the hospital where we don't use pumps. I don't know why - all our csection moms need at least three bags of fluid when we get them so a pump would be nice.
I will have to try to trick of getting air out of the bag given above. That sounds like a good trick.
Melissa
Sure you can,, unscrew the IV tubing from the catheter hub and screw on a primed lock, then reattach the iv tubing, whella.
Our facility uses a "dial-a flow" device that is an extension with a dial on it which can be set to deliver a certain amount per hr. They are NOT precise but can help alot if not using a pump. The rate is more carefully monitored than if no device is used. A flow contol device whether this or a pump is required by my hospital so we put them on every post op. If the patient is on a critical drip we obtain a pump immediately if not already on one.
meownsmile, BSN, RN
2,532 Posts
NO,, no reason for you to worry about that as a patient. The blood will only back up so far,, not like you will fill the bag with blood. The backflow is as someone else posted normally just a small length then it evens out with gravity.
They should however, flush your port before they put up a new bag if you have blood backup in the tubing.