Flush the line for total prescribed dose delivery

It’s common practice to administer short term intermittent infusions for example, antibiotics, via a pump or gravity administration set. With a gravity system, when the infusion ends and the antibiotic container empties, air is pulled into the line until a state of equilibrium occurs between the fluid level in the line and the back pressure from the patient’s vein. This results in residual volume of antibiotic remaining trapped in the line of the tube^1,2. Similarly, with infusion pump administration, once the programmed infused volume is complete, the infusion line remains filled with the antibiotic.

There is a common misconception that this is resolved by flushing the short extension line (needlefree extension) attached to the patient’s vascular access device post-infusion however, the residual volume trapped inside the line of the administration set, is far more significant than might appear and it can result in an under delivery of the antibiotic dose prescribed of between 20% (100ml infusion) and 40% (50ml infusion)².

Advancements in IV Administration: The Issue of Underdosing

Mark Santillo – Former Chair of the NHS Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance Committee

Implementing IV Line Flushing Guidance in Critical Care

Kate Holland – Royal Bournemouth Hospital

Line Flushing – Changing the way we do things

Andrew Barton – Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

Intrafix® SafeSet Flush - Gravity Administration Set for General Ward Use Facilitating a Post Medication Line Flush

Infusomat^® SafeSet Flush - Volumetric Pump Administration Set for General Ward Use Facilitating a Post Medication Line Flush

Infusomat^® SafeSet Flush - Volumetric Pump Administration Set for ITU/CC Facilitating a Post Medication Line Flush