Can anyone comment on their policy with regards to PCA tubing priming.We currently have a wide variety of practice. Nurses have concerns with priming the PCA tubing with a narcotic and then running a typical post op IV rate of 125ml/hr..They are concerned about the bolus ( .5ml) the patient would receive. ( our concentration is 5mg/ml ( morphine)
Thanks in advance
Thanks for your input..I always seem to have so many questions about practice-but we are a small hospital without an IV team..and I am trying to get everyone playing off of the same sheet of music -without compromising patient safety!
Thanks Again
Carol Cubellis
The process that tbaugher described is what we use.
I am not sure that bolus occurs in the scenario that you suggested. The PCA dose may be more diluted by the mainline fluid, but not a bolus actually occurring.
Does this make sense?
Gwen Irwin
Austin, Texas