When the IV med is finished running

[*ac*]

(such as abx) and you're not running any maintenance fluids, do you flush, d/c and heploc? I've noticed some people put a flush on the line and then leave it connected, with the pump turned off. Won't the line clot if you do that?

[widi96]

To answer the initial question, no it will not clot off as long as enough flush has run through the tubing to flush out the IV completely. It is just like a saline lock, the tubing is just still connected.

[ZippyGBR, BSN, RN]

Even if it's one antibiotic, I always set up a NS rider to which the abx is piggybacked. Even if the pt is fluid compromised, an extra 10 or 20 cc of fluid isn't going to hurt them. We run PIVs at 10cc tko and 20 on central lines per policy). I would rather have them get +/- 20cc of NS than lose one port in a central line or have an IV clot off on a pt who is a difficult stick. Since most of our ICU pts are on IV protonix and some sort of abx, so we often have at least two med infusions to do in 24 hours.

Running a TKO for a 1/2 hour to an hour buys time until you can get back to it and lock it. We keep 100cc NS bags just for this.

and i assume your standing orders / PGDs for flushes permit this ... (unless of course you are an independent PRESCRIBER)

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

In the ICU our patients shouldn't be heplocked in the first place... Unless they are waiting for a bed on the floor. Ship em out! lol

Hey, not so fast! I wouldn't want to have to send em right back! :loveya:

[anurseuk]

I work in ICU so administer most drugs via central line so we can give things in higher concenrations. Most of our abx are bolus's and i would always flush the line with 5ml of normal saline after, however with meds like that or iv paracetamol or meds that dont take long to infuse i would put them through the right atrial pressure line which is already connected to a flush bag and drips through about 3mls an hour roughly, but can pull the tap and just flush the line.

All other infusions, inotropes, sedation etc I would withdraw 10mls blood etc from the line and flush with saline as we usually leave the central line in for 24hours once they've been discharged to the ward as I work in a cardiothoracic critical care that mostly do recovery for the first 24hours post cardiac surgery... although we do have long term cardiac and thoracic pts too.

hope that makes things clearer for you :)