A nurse is preparing to administer a prescribed intravenous (IV) push medication through an established peripheral IV saline lock. Arrange the following steps in the correct order of performance from first to last.
- 1Cleanse the IV injection port with an antimicrobial swab and allow it to dry completely.
- 2Attach a normal saline syringe, aspirate for a blood return, and flush the catheter.
- 3Attach the medication syringe and administer the drug over the recommended time.
- 4Attach a second normal saline syringe and flush the catheter at the same rate the medication was given.
- 5Clamp the extension tubing while maintaining positive pressure on the syringe plunger.
Answer
The correct sequence is to first cleanse the port, aspirate and flush with normal saline, administer the medication, flush with normal saline again at the medication's administration rate, and finally clamp the tubing.
The standard evidence-based sequence for administering an IV push medication through a saline lock is the SAS method: Saline, Administer, Saline. First, infection control requires cleansing the port. Second, patency is verified by aspirating for blood and flushing with normal saline to prevent extravasation. Third, the medication is administered at the correct rate. Fourth, a second saline flush clears the line, which must be pushed at the same slow rate to avoid pushing residual medication too quickly. Finally, the line is clamped using positive pressure to prevent blood reflux and subsequent occlusion.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Safe administration of IV push medications requires the SAS (Saline-Administer-Saline) method to ensure line patency, deliver the drug safely, and maintain the integrity of the IV access.
Estimated Time:1m 30s