Sterile Technique

• All Long Lines (LL), Central Venous Lines (CVL), Umbilical Venous Lines (UVC) and Umbilical Arterial Lines (UAC) use sterile technique during:
  • Insertion
  • Fluid preparation and administration
  • Line and dressing changes
  • Drug preparation and administration
• Sterile technique - the practices that make and keep objects and areas micro-organism free:
  • The trolley is wiped down with chlorhexidine 0.5% in alcohol 70%
  • The equipment used is placed on a sterile guard or a disposable dressing pack is used
  • The "sterile" nurse washes hands and dons sterile gloves and touches only that which is sterile
  • A second nurse assists her by handling all equipment that is not sterile e.g. lipid syringe, bag of IVN, Dextrose 10%, medication ampoules.
• N.B.: Masks are not worn for these procedures.

Aseptic Technique

• All Intravenous Lines (IV) and Peripheral Arterial Lines (PAL) use "aseptic technique" during:
  • Insertion
  • Fluid preparation and administration
  • Line changes
  • Drug preparation and administration
• Aseptic technique – a clean procedure which controls and reduces the number of micro-organisms and prevents their spread from one place or person to another:
  • this process may be managed by one nurse if appropriate
  • the nurse washes hands – does not wear gloves and carries out the procedure keeping the risk of sepsis in mind.

Pall Filters

• Pall filters (0.22 micron) are used on all lines to reduce the risk of bacteria, air, particulates, microbes and endotoxin contamination to the infant. This enables standard fluid and lines to be changed every 96 hours (4 days) safely.
• NB: The Pall Filter is never used to filter blood, blood products, Lipid, Paraldehyde, Amphotericin B or Prostaglandins.
• Lipid is administered below the Pall filter.

Fluid Stability

Change unaltered fluids as follows:

N.B.: If the fluid prescription alters e.g. 10% dextrose to 12.5% Dextrose, the tubing may need to be flushed so that the baby receives the appropriate strength solution immediately.

Fluid Regimes

On admission the standard infusion via IV, LL, UVC is 10% Dextrose 500ml

• Day 2    See Fluid and Electrolyte guide or IVN

Further fluid regimes as per medical orders

• IA fluids have 0.5 unit per ml of Heparin added (250 units Heparin to 500ml bag of 0.9% or .45% NaCl)
• CVL/LL/UVC have 0.5 units per ml of Heparin added to Dextrose 10%, IVN or other fluid prescribed by medical staff.

Intravenous Nutrition (IVN)

• Intravenous Nutrition (IVN) can be defined as the intravenous administration of nutrients sufficient to meet nutritional and metabolic requirements of the body.
• These nutrients include amino acids, dextrose, fatty acids, vitamins, trace elements, fluids and electrolytes.

Storage IVN standard solution

• Standard IVN solutions are stored in the CSSD room refrigerator
• IVN is ordered on an imprest system under direction of the Pharmacy Service.
• N.B.: Special solutions prescribed by medical staff will be ordered for each baby individually from Biomed daily as required.

If you cannot see an index above, please press the "Refresh" button of your browser.