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Wed, 02/28/2007 - 13:33

Mary J. Matteson

IV tubing in a hospital based outpatient infusion center.

Â I am horrified to see an outpt. hospital infusion center using tubing over again for daily and BID infusions.Â The empty bag with the tubing is left hanging on an IV pole to be used when the patient comes backÂ again either that same day or the next.Â It is left for the 96hr. period. It is dated and timed.Â Any thoughts on this practice?

Wed, 02/28/2007 - 13:46

lynncrni

The tubing you described is

The tubing you described is categorized as intermittent tubing according to the INS standards of practice and that document calls for this tubing to be changed every 24 hours. The reason for this is because it is being manipulated on both ends with each dose, thus increasing the risk of contamination. There are no studies on how intermittent tubing is used so the CDC guidelines call this an unresolved issue. I personally think that what you have described is a very bad practice, but any adverse patient reactions to it is hard to prove. 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

Sun, 06/17/2007 - 15:11

tinacrni

I am also horrified at

I am also horrified at this. The wound care center where I work also does this. Being a CRNI, I feel that once the patient leaves the room the tubing should be disposed of. Many times I see the tubing in the floor, without a cap etc.

In the outpatient infusion center where I work we DO NOT reuse the tubing. I would rather be safe than sorry in the long run.

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