It has nothing to do with blowing out the vein. Nurses administer IV push
chemo "through the side-arm of a free-flowing IV", checking blood return
periodically (every 5 mls, although I used to check much more frequently).
This means that they have to pull back on the plunger. There have been
cases where the syringe was a 35 ml syringe filled with 35 mls of Adriamycin
(or any other vesicant) for 35 mgs. The nurse pulls back on the plunger to
check blood return and inadvertently pulls the plunger OUT and now has a
huge (35 ml) spill of concentrated vesicant. It happened about 20 years
ago on the inpatient oncology unit I worked on to one of our evening nurses.
It was very traumatic for her. No damage, but a real scare. The
environmental engineers were completely perplexed when they were called---it
was in the days before we had spill kits and procedures as to what to do and
who were to be called. There was no training in those days.
It doesn't matter if this is a peripheral IV or a CVAD.
Nadine Nakazawa, RN, BS, OCN
PICC Program Coordinator
Stanford Hospital
From: "Kokotis, Kathy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: chemo question
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 18:54:53 -0600
Have a chemo question
speaking in Cleveland right now
Why do they say not to fill a syringe not more than 75% of the way with
chemo?
They were told it would blow out the vein?
Need a quick answer - Who is out there tonight?
Kathy Kokotis
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail and any attachments are intended only
for the use of those to whom it is addressed and may contain information
that is confidential and prohibited from further disclosure under law. If
you have received this e-mail in error, its review, use, retention and/or
distribution is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient,
please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the
original message and any attachments.[v1.0]
<< Bard100.jpg >>
