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