Efficacy of 1:1000 Diluted Heparin versus 0.9% Normal Saline for Maintenance of Intermittent Intravenous Locks

Park, Mi Mi; Kim, Chang Hee; Cho, Eun Suk; Lee, Mi Jung; Kim, Hae Suk

Abstract

The objective of this research was to compare the flushing effects using 1:1,000 diluted heparin or 0.9% normal saline in relation to needle gauge and frequency of IV medications. The comparative categories were clotting, duration of patency, and incidence of phlebitis. The design of research was a Nonequivalent Control group, Post test, Nonsynchrorized Design. The independent variable was 0.9% normal saline flushing the IV locks and the dependent variables were clotting, duration of patency, and incidence of phlebitis. Subjects were medical-surgical inpatients over 15 years old and with peripherally placed IVs who were hospitalized in a university medical center. Exclusion criteria included foreigners and those who were rejected for this research. The final sample for data analysis included 295 IV sites in 194 patients; 154 were in the saline group and 141 were in the heparin group. Subjects were assigned to have IV locks is flushed with 0.9% normal saline in the experimental group and to have IV lock flushed with 1:1,000 diluted heparin(100 units) in the control group. In order to increase reliability, the nurses who were assigned to the units involved in the study received an explanation on the standard method for locking an IV, recording method for observational data and criteria for the detection of phelbitis. Data were collected for a period of 2 weeks, from March 16, 2000 to March 29, 2000. Total duration of IV was defined the time of IV insertion to the time of discontinuation. Phlebitis was defined as the presence of the following : pain, swelling, erythema at the insertion site. Chi-square was used to determine the association between the degree of clotting, duration of patency, and incidence of phlebitis for the diluted heparine or the normal saline and needle gauge and frequency of IV medications. The results are summarized as follows : (a) There was difference in the degree of clotting between two groups(x2=5.882, p=.015). (b) There was no difference in the degree of duration of patency between two groups(x2=2.439, p=.295). (c) There was no difference in the incidence of phlebits between two groups(x2=0.190, p=.663). (d) There was difference in the degree of clotting(x2=6.209, p=.013) and in the degree of duration of patency(x2=6.978, p=.031) according the needle guage between the two groups. (e) There was difference in the incidence of phlebitis(x2=5.008, p=.025) according to the frequencies of IV injection between two groups.