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Elena Nelson Squires
Holding on to primed, but not used, administration sets
A surgical (OR) nurse and friend asked me my thoughts on the following example.  I told her to use or discard within 24 hours, as I could find no other recommendation in INS or here or elsewhere.  We wanted to get your take on it as well.
"Here's an example to clarify;  the tubing for the art line or level one infusor was primed for a case that ended up not going.   It was left just in case another procedure would have need of it.  How long can it safely be left if the sterile ends are kept intact and the lines are not broken in any way (other than opened for priming)?"
Again this is in OR.
Thanks,
Elena
lynncrni
I can understand the desire

I can understand the desire to contain costs, however I think that the use of a primed IV administration set on another patient is a risky business. How do they know that the cap has remained totally intact on the male luer end of that tubing? How do they know that a medication was not added to this fluid container without the appropriate label attached? Are they in a position to totally monitor what has happened to this container and set from the time it was opened until it was used? 

This is virtually the same as nurses who want to prime sets the day before a case. It is not considered to be good practice. I would advise that you contact the manufacturer of the container and set to obtain their recommendations about this practice. 

Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, BC, CRNI

www.hadawayassociates.com

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

Elena Nelson Squires
Thanks, Lynn, I have sent a

Thanks, Lynn, I have sent a link to my friend with your response.  The environment in question is the OR, where things are tightly controlled, but I agree with you.  There is no time or cost savings worth possible jeopardy to the patient.

Elena

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