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Tue, 04/10/2007 - 23:36

Timothy Royer B...

Calcium Gluconate Infusions in the Home

Question for the Home Infusion RNs.

We have a inhouse patient that had 3 1/2 parathyroidectomy and is 10 days post op.Â Daily requirement to keep his calcium near normal is 8 amps of Calcium GluconateÂ IV each day.Â Â We are running 8 amps in a litter over 12 hours.

The surgeon now wants to discharge home the patient on a continuous infusion over 12 hours.

Has anyone elseÂ be doing this in the community?Â We can teach him to do this himself.

Questions

Safety of this (his 1/2 of parathyroid may start kicking in and then we have hypercalcemia)?

Protocol you are using?

Thanks,

Timothy Royer

Fri, 04/13/2007 - 10:26

lynncrni

What type of catheter are

What type of catheter are you going to use? All calcium is a vesicant so a serious risk of extravasation injury!! Lynn

Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, BC, CRNI

Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.

126 Main Street, PO Box 10

Milner, GA 30257

Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com

Office Phone 770-358-7861

Fri, 04/13/2007 - 14:23

(Reply to #2) #3

Timothy Royer B...

He received a PICC almost

He received a PICC almost immediately after surgery when his calcium did not go up as we (our surgeons, nurses, etc) all know that calcium is a vesicant and poses a high risk for extravasation.

Tue, 04/24/2007 - 11:45

Amy

I am new to this site but

I am new to this site but found your question interesting. I work for a home infusion pharmacy and this infusion is similar to that of inotropic therapy in regards to getting insurance to pay for it. There are different criteria the patient must meet. We actually had a referral like this sent to us a few years ago and it ended up being a no go b/c the MD wanted the home health nurse to actually sit with the patient for the 12 hour infusion. I am all for teaching patients to care for infusions in the home but this is one that would have to be considered on an individual basis i.e. how easy are they to teach, is recall of previous teaching sufficient, are they compliant. Your area is probably much more advanced that the area where I live.

Amy Tilghman,RN Vital Care

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