It sounds to me like this rep is using unnecessary scare tactics
to sell his product. However, there are many hospitals that prefer to
have the catheter extension leg clamped during periods between
infusions. When using a positive displacement needleless connector,
clamping immediately will prevent the internal mechanism from working
properly. In other words, the fluid held in the connector reservoir
will not inject the refluxed blood out of the catheter lumen because
the clamp is closed. The answer to this is to teach your nurses to
wait a little bit of time after flushing and before clamping. This
allows time for the positive fluid displacement to occur and then the
catheter can be clamped. Lynn
At 6:04 AM -0800 1/28/06, Dee Gary wrote:
I have a question for both groups:
A medical device sales rep has been telling us that using positive pressure caps (i.e. CLC 2000, Ultrasite, etc.) with open ended PICC lines, which have clamps on the extension legs, are a safety concern. He states that if a nurse forgets to clamp the extension leg, and the positive pressure cap comes off, then a bleed out situation could occur and this is a safety concern.
Can anyone that has had experience using positive pressure caps with open ended PICC lines please validate what we are being told?
Thank you very much!
Dee
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--
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RNC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
http://www.hadawayassociates.com
office 770-358-7861
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
http://www.hadawayassociates.com
office 770-358-7861
