Q: 48 year old male with ESRD is in ICU with recent Pulmonary Embolism. Patient is on IV heparin drip. Patient's central line is sluggish! Flushing with saline didn't work. You asked nurse to flush one time with Heparin. Which one mistake should be avoided?



Answer: Flushing via running IV Heparin drip

 Heparin solution in IV drip should not be used to flush catheter locks, ports or intervenous lines, because the solutions intended for intravenous heparin therapy are significantly more concentrated than the solutions used for catheter flushes.

Note:  For the sake of question, flushing of CVC with heparin is described but is should not be a standard practice.