Our Community Venous Access Team is having a discussion about accessing implanted ports and what product to use to cap off the tubing that is attached to the needle. Once the port is accessed and the flush is given, some nurses use the protective cap (that is on the tubing of the huber needle when taken out of the package) to cap off the line once they are done flushing. Usually the pt sees the MD before the port is de-accessed so instead of using a needleless connector, they just use the cap. The cap sterility is maintained by placing it on the sterile field when removed from the tubing. Is this an acceptable practice? If not, why?
It is not acceptable practice. All caps like this are labeled as a single use device, meaning one use only. Your use on the port access needle would be 2 times -- not acceptable at all. You either need to open a new sterile dead end cap or a new sterile needleless connector. 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