Intravenous Lines: Heparin vs. Saline

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses many studies and finds that saline was as effective as heparin in maintaining patency, preventing phlebitis and increasing the duration of peripheral intravenous lines. The author concludes that using normal saline rather than heparin as a flushing solution improves the quality of patient care by eliminating problems associated with anti-coagulant drug use and drug incompatibilities. The author also concludes that it is time saving in terms of nurse-hours needed and is cost-effective.

From the Paper:

"According to LeDuc (1997), reports in the literature support the use of a normal saline solution for maintaining patency in peripheral intermittent intravenous devises in adults, but the data regarding its use in children is very limited. LeDuc thus designed a study to examine the effects of a heparin flush compared to a saline flush in maintaining the patency of infusion devices in pediatric patients, and to examine the cost saving implications of the treatments."

More papers on Intravenous Lines: Heparin vs. Saline:

• Term Paper # 124942 : "Heparin Overdoses"
• Term Paper # 124864 : "Heparin and Patient Safety"
• Comparison Essay # 124442 : "Intravenous Therapy"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: