In an ambulatory post-surgical area, when converting a continuous infusion to a saline lock (temporarily before D/C) do you obtain a physician's order for the saling lock and flush? The rational is last nausea while ambulating requireing medication or fainting, pain, .....
We start all PIVs as a saline lock to avoid the pit falls of doing a SL conversion, not the least of which is blood exposure and/or loss of access.
Robbin George RN VA-BC Vascular Access Resource Department Alexandria Hospital Virginia
Robbin George RN VA-BC
I would not recommend that practice. You can put a short extension on the catheter, connect hub to hub on the other end of that extension set and easily change from continuous infusion to a saline lock when appropriate. I strongly oppose the use of a needleless connector for any continuous infusion. They are only needed when you convert to intermittent infusions. This is the way IV teams I have worked on have practiced for many years. 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