Hello,
We are switching to the BD Posiflush syringe and our products representative has said that we can use the cap at the end of the flush as a dead end cap. Is this because it is sterile? My question is this when you break the seal by tapping it with the saline doesn't that make it (the cap) no longer sterile. Wouldn't it not be a dead end cap? My unit has had a zero infection rate and I hate to change a process we have.
Your sales rep has given you some very bad and incorrect information. Ask him/her to provide this statement in writing from the company, but don't expect to ever receive such a statement. Do you want to use this cap on the male luer end of an intermittent IV set? Or some other reasons. Those syringe tip caps are for a one-time use only. Once you have removed them, they are trash and can not be reused for any purpose. According to the INS Standards, the male luer end of an intermittent IV set must be covered with a sterile end cap between uses. A syringe tip cap that has been used does not meet this criteria. Lynn
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, NPD-BC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com
Office Phone 770-358-7861
Lynn is correct
It is not sterile now. It is not indicated for such a usage as well
Nice sales pitch. LOL
kathy
I am glad that this was brought up. The dialogue is in line with what we have inserviced this past week. The indication for the tip cap does not extend beyond its single use as a tip cover of the pre-filled saline syringe. Our instructions for use do not state that it be used for anything more than this. Once the package is opened and the tip cap is removed, it should be discarded. We recommend that the facility follow its policies and procedures in utilizing dead-end caps.