The nurse is caring for a client who was recently admitted with a massive pulmonary embolism. The client is currently receiving a continuous intravenous infusion of unfractionated heparin through a single-lumen peripheral catheter. A new prescription is received for an urgent dose of intravenous vancomycin to treat a suspected bloodstream infection. After consulting a drug reference and discovering that the two medications are physically incompatible, which action should the nurse take?
- AAttach the vancomycin secondary tubing to the primary tubing Y-site closest to the client.
- Insert a second peripheral intravenous catheter to administer the vancomycin.Cevap
- CPause the heparin infusion, flush the line with normal saline, administer the vancomycin, and resume the heparin.
- DInstruct the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to monitor the client for adverse reactions while the vancomycin infuses.
Cevap
Insert a second peripheral intravenous catheter to administer the vancomycin.
Heparin is a high-alert medication with a short half-life ( to ). Pausing this critical continuous infusion for the to required to administer intravenous vancomycin would cause the client's anticoagulation levels to drop subtherapeutically, risking life-threatening clot extension. Because the medications are physically incompatible and cannot be mixed, the safest and most appropriate action is to establish a second peripheral intravenous line. This ensures the client receives the urgent antibiotic without interrupting the essential anticoagulation therapy.
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Anahtar Kavram
Management of physically incompatible intravenous medications during critical continuous infusions
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