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catheter care (flushingwith regular syringes) page 5

12. Put the needle and syringe in a sharps container. If you don’t have one, use ahard plastic or metal container with a screw-on or tightly secured lid. Do not use containers with soft, plastic lids. When the container is 3/4 full, put heavyduty tape around the lid to make sure it is secure. Make sure it won’t leak from the sides or bottom. Throw away sealed container.

Do not put any sharp objects in containers you plan to recycle. Donot use glass or clear or soft, plasticcontainers. You may want to label the container “NOT FOR RECYCLING.” Check with your local authorities about

rules for the disposal of sharps. Some regions require approved containers.

13. Put alcohol wipes and gloves in a plastic trash bag, and throw away.

14. Wash and dry your hands well. Use an antibacterial soap and warm water, or a waterless alcohol-based hand rub.

NOT FOR RECYCLING

BIOHAZARDSample

catheter care (flushingwith regular syringes) page 4

8. Wipe the injection cap/valve with a new alcohol pad. Use friction andallow to dry.

9. Put needle straight into the center of the injection cap/valve. If needleless, attachsyringe to injection cap/valve. Check for blood return by pulling back on the plunger until you see blood.

10. Slowly inject the fluid into the catheter. If you meet resistance, stop and call the nurse. Do not force fluid into the injection cap/valve.* Release the catheter clamp.

11. Remove the needle or syringe from the injection cap/valve. Reclamp the catheter.

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* If you have any problems, call the nurse.

Nursename phone number

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catheter care (flushingwith regular syringes) page 3

3. Remove cap from needle. (Nevertouch needle with your hands.) Pull plunger out to number of cubic centimeters of fluid needed ( ____________ cubic centimeters or milliliters).

4. With plunger pulled back, pushneedle into bottle. Then pushplunger in. This injects air intobottle. (If you don’t inject air, avacuum occurs and makes it harder to draw up the fluid.)

5. Turn bottle up. Pull plunger backuntil syringe fills with correct doseof fluid ( _____________ cubiccentimeters or milliliters).

6. Remove syringe from bottle. Check fluid in syringe for airbubbles. If there are bubbles, tapsyringe until they are all at the top.Slowly push the plunger to get them out. (They won’t hurt you, but bubbles may keep you fromgetting the right amount of fluid.)

7. If needed, put needle back into bottle, and pull plunger to get the right amount of fluid.

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The nurse will tell you how often to flush the catheterand change the injection cap/valve.

Flushing with sterile saline and/or heparin

Supplies you need:

❏ gloves ❏ plastic trash bag

❏ syringe(s) ❏ sharps container

❏ bottle of sterile saline ❏ other:

❏ bottle of heparin

❏ alcohol pads

To flush the catheter and draw up thesaline or heparin, follow these steps:

1. Wash your hands with an anti-bacterial soap and dry well. Youmay use a waterless alcohol-basedhand rub, if your hands are not dirty. Use infection control guidelines. (Ask the nurse for information on how to do this.) Put on clean exam gloves.

2. Wipe the top of the fluid bottle with an alcohol pad. Use friction and allow to dry.

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catheter care (flushing with regular syringes) page 2

Flush catheter every__________________________.

Change injection cap/valve every________________.

Do not use thesame syringeto flush morethan 1 port.

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Catheter care (flushing withregular syringes)

To keep the catheter clear you will need to rinse (flush) it with one of these:

• sterile saline (salt water) or sodium chloride

• heparin lock solution (a fluid that keeps the blood from clotting in the catheter)

The nurse will tell you which to use and how often.

Make sure you can tell the difference between the heparin and saline. Always read the labels to make sure you have the right fluid and the right amount.

Saline label reads:

Amount to use:

Heparin label reads:

Amount to use:

You may get heparin and/or sterile saline in small bottlesor prefilled syringes. If a prefilled syringe is not available, youcan take a small piece of tape and label each syringe with themedicine name and dose as you fill it.

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Continued on next page.

SALINE

HEPARINlock

solution

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