I am trying to find out info on infusing 2 differrent antibiotics a the same time using 2 separate i.v. sites. I have always been told that you could only infuse one at a time. Am I mistaken? I did ask one of our pharmacist, he told me that yes you can infuse 2 at a time of course 2 different sites. I would like to know where I could find this info? thanks
There would be many factors to consider. First would the risk of not being able to determine which drug caused a reaction if one should occur. With 2 different sites there should be no compatibility issues. Are these 2 ABX the only therapy being infused? If so, then why would you even need 2 sites? I have testified in a deposition that a dual lumen PICC was not needed when only 2 antibiotics were ordered because the larger diamter catheter increased the risk for vein thrombosis. So why waste veins by using 2 sites when this is all the therapy there is? Does not make sense to me. 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
Thankyou Lynn for responding, I should have given more info regarding this question. I asked the question because this became an issue in the icu recently when a patient had multiple iv meds, including triple antibiotics. the patient at the time had 3 lines no central access and the nurse taking care of the patient was about to hang Bactrim, while zithromax was infusing ,this is when I told her that only one atbx could be infused at a time..eventually this pt. recieved a central line but this still would have been an issue. Again I really dont know if they can be delivered at the same time, eventhough a pharmacist told me they could. thankyou
Is there any nurse out there who is willing to share there protocol on extravasation of vesicant drugs, i.e. application of cold, steroid cream , manual injection of antidote.
We never run antibiotics at the same time due to the problem of not knowing which abx is causing a reaction. We have patients who would like to have two units of blood at the same time, we will not do that either, for the same reason.
Barbara Tinsley