Saline for peripheral intravenous locks in neonates: evaluating a change in practice.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of saline versus 10 units/ml heparin for peripheral i.v. flushes in neonates.


METHODS
A nonexperimental group design was used to compare the longevity of heparin and saline i.v. locks. A research utilization method was chosen to increase the study power while simultaneously implementing a practice change and evaluating the outcomes. Power analysis showed that a sample size of approximately 120 per group was needed to decrease the risk of beta error to 0.1.


METHODS
Subjects included neonates in the Special Care Nurseries at a Level III large midwestern university teaching hospital. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 123 neonates receiving 10 units/ml heparin flush into a peripheral i.v. Practice was then changed to preservative-free normal saline, and data collection continued for 117 neonates.


METHODS
I.v. catheter longevity.


RESULTS
There was no significant statistical difference in i.v. catheter longevity between i.v. locks flushed with 10 units/ml heparin and those flushed with normal saline. Patient weight accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in i.v. catheter life.
Hanrahan
K S
KS
Special Care Nurseries, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. Hanrahank@uihc.uiowa.edu
Kleiber
C
C
Berends
S
S
D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000451:nursing; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000451:nursing; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000379:methods; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*
D012965:Sodium Chloride; D006493:Heparin