Has anyone heard that providing the prefilled sterile syringes inside a PICC kit, if subjected to a certain kind of sterilization (can't remember if it was gas or UV), changes the pH of the saline to 10?

I am told this is why some manufacturers provide glass ampules for saline, and others provide sterile saline PFS packaged separately.

Thanks

Holly Hess

I work in small Infusion Clinic and we have always had the policy that no more than 2 units of blood products be given in the outpatient setting in a 24 hour period. 
What is every ones thoughts on that and what are your policies on the subject?

Thanks

HI,

 I have a quesiton that keeps coming up in our facility, and I'm having a hard time finding good evidence for which way to go. Reading the CDC guidelines, i feel that they are more inpatient specific.

 How often should needleless connectors be changed in an ambulatory setting? May of our patients go home with a CVAD in place, and are in the facility for their medication every 3 weeks. They are taught to flush and lock the lines themselves, but the connectors are only changed when they are here, sometimes it is monthly.

I would like to ask those of you who work in homecare what you are doing about orders to discontinue non-tunneled, non-cuffed central catheters which originate in the neck and chest. Are you discontinuing the lines yourselves?  What, if any, complications have you seen?   Does anyone have a policy they would be willing to share?  I have looked at the VNAA policy. Thanks.

Hello All!

Is anyone placing I/O access on adults in the inpatient setting? What device are you using?

We have a manual type needle on our crash carts. I have attempted placement twice and have never been able to insert it. The needle bends (!).

Is this a brand issue? User issue? 

We have recieved training and I reviewed the manual. I anyone EVER able to manually place these on adults? 

I am beginning to think we must have the drill-type placment.....or I need to hit the gym!

Thanks

Martha

Hello All!

Is anyone placing I/O access on adults in the inpatient setting? What device are you using?

We have a manual type needle on our crash carts. I have attempted placement twice and have never been able to insert it. The needle bends (!).

Is this a brand issue? User issue? 

We have recieved training and I reviewed the manual. I anyone EVER able to manually place these on adults? 

I am beginning to think we must have the drill-type placment.....or I need to hit the gym!

Thanks

Martha

There is some contraversy regarding back flushing IVPB secondary tubing (for use with multiple antibiotics or other solutions) with the primary tubing solution. If the primary solution does not have additives that would be incompatible with the secondary infusion, is it acceptable to reuse the flushed secondary tubing for more than 1 IVPB?

Do any hospitals out there have policies that indicate a new PICC after multiple doses of cathflo? By multiple doses I mean an effective dose one day and then another dose a few days later for a reclotted PICC and on and on.....  We are discussing PICCs, biofilm, CLABs and and are considering implementing a maximum Cathfo dose policy-would like to see what others in the World of PICC are doing.

Also who is responsible for declotting PICCs in your hospital-IV Team or unit nurses?

All answers are grealtly appreciated.

Ann Y Rn

AGH