We have found that "free
flowing " doesnt work well on our piccs. ( Bard Groshong) The
ICU nurses love our PICCS but if they go to give albumin through it ( free
flowing on special tubing) they have difficulty because it doesnt
infuse.
As we discussed before , we find
Anesthesia doesnt like them either because they dont "free flow" "wide open"
like they like.
Maybe that is what they are referring to.
Gina
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of Lynn Hadaway
Sent: Wed 5/10/2006 11:04 AM
To: Gwen Irwin; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Chemo given via PICCs
Chemo should always be piggybacked into a free-flowing gravity drip of
plain fluids without additives for the purpose of frequently assessing catheter
and vein patency. The quality of the drip will change if an
infiltration/extravasation occurs and you can easily check for a blood return
frequently. However, I don't get their perception that they can not do this
through a PICC? Are they saying that gravity infusions can not drip due to the
fact that there are more occlusion with the PICCs? Cancer patients are
hypercoaguable and thus more prone to vein thrombosis especially in the presence
of any VAD.
For any issue related to flushing, I would refer you to the May-June issue
of the Journal of Infusion Nursing and the new article I wrote on Technology of
Catheter Flushing. Lynn
At 7:33 PM -0500 5/9/06, Gwen Irwin wrote:
I have recently been asked about giving chemo through a "free-flowing" IV related to PICCs. We have one of the hospitals with an oncology floor that believe, since we have changed to saline only flushing, they can't give chemo via free-flowing IV fluids via a PICC. They report that this is the case after the PICC has been in for a few weeks. They also report more occlusions that occur with PICCs. I am checking the actual number (of occlusions) for comparison before and after saline only flushing. I have offered inservices related to proper flushing (that has been effective on other floors that had a rapid decline in their occlusions, after inservicing).
Has this chemo issue that they report been anyone else's experience? I am debating how to answer their question and their request for heparin to be added to flushing policy for their population of patients.
Thanks for any help.
Gwen Irwin
Austin, Texas
--
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
