I am trying to update our offices policy regarding care of central and peripheral IV lines.
For VAD's, Hickmans, Groshongs, PICCs, or percutaneous central lines, how much blood does your institution discard prior to drawing blood? And how frequently do you flush these devices?
Also, I find a lot of info on the net about not obtaining coag labs from a line infusing heparin, but what about drawing coags from a line not in use, just instilled with heparin?
thanks,
Janet Hernandez RN,BSN
Head Nurse
General Clinical Research Center
University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine
1120 NW 14th Street
Miami, FL.33136
Tel:(305)243-5012
Fax:(305)243-9586
j.hernandez3@med.miami.edu