Can someone please please please talk me through zeroing a line, such as an art line or cvp line? I'm new to critical care and go so intimidated with all these lines. My biggest issue is when I have to zero the line. I have so many silly questions:
1. Do I flush the line first?
2. When I place the sterile cap back on the stopcock?
3. When do I press the zero button on the monitor?
A step by step instruction would really help!!! I know I have to turn the line off the patient (stopcock pointing toward the hard cable) and then remove my sterile cap)...but after that I screw up lol.
If your transducers cap has a hole in it, there is no purpose in removing the cap. Do the following.
1. turn stopcock off to the patient.
2. flush the line
3. press zero on monitor
4. turn stopcock back to neutral.
if the cap does not have a hole in it then it needs to be removed.
1. turn stopcock off to the patient.
2. remove the cap.
3. flush the line.
4. press zero on monitor
5. replace cap with new cap
6. turn stopcock back to neutral
this should be done every 4 hours at least with your Q4hr assessments!
I'm new to critical care and go so intimidated with all these lines. My biggest issue is when I have to zero the line. I have so many silly questions:
RNjoy1022
1 Post
This is so me! Lol I hate the zeroing!!