We have been flushing all of our pediatric ports with 5ml of the 500U/ml of heparin and our Broviacs with 3ml of the 500U/ml, no matter what the size of patient. We are now looking at possibly flushing our smaller patients with 10U/ml of Heparin. What are other institutions doing regarding this practice?
Thank you,
Kristel Luna, RN, CPHON
UNM Hospital
Albuquerque, NM
The only time Heparin 100 units per mL is needed for any size or age patient is when you are de-accessing and locking an implanted port. All other situations can be locked with 10 units per mL. See INS Standard of Practice on Flushing and Locking. 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