PICC Pharmacology & Medication Administration Flashcards
6 cards from real PICC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 PICC Pharmacology & Medication Administration flashcards as text
A patient's PICC-administered heparin infusion must be interrupted for a procedure. What is the correct nursing action before stopping the infusion?
Answer: Flush with normal saline and lock per protocol before and after interruption
Interrupting a PICC heparin infusion requires flushing and locking the catheter per institutional protocol to maintain patency and prevent clotting during the interruption.
Which concentration of heparin is recommended by ISMP for PICC flush solutions in adult patients to reduce the risk of medication errors?
Answer: 10 units/mL
ISMP recommends 10 units/mL heparin flush for adult PICCs to reduce the risk of heparin-induced complications while maintaining catheter patency.
A nurse receives a new order to administer diazepam (Valium) IV via PICC. What should the nurse assess before infusing this medication?
Answer: Compatibility, as diazepam can adsorb to PVC tubing and precipitate in many IV solutions
Diazepam adsorbs to PVC tubing and precipitates in most aqueous IV solutions, requiring non-PVC tubing and direct injection or a short non-PVC infusion line.
Which statement best describes the S-A-S-H protocol used in PICC line maintenance?
Answer: Saline flush → Administer medication → Saline flush → Heparin lock
The S-A-S-H protocol stands for Saline flush, Administer medication, Saline flush, Heparin lock — the standard sequence to maintain PICC patency and prevent occlusion.
A patient's PICC is being used for continuous insulin infusion. The nurse notes that the glucose levels are not responding as expected to the insulin dose. What is a potential PICC-related cause?
Answer: Insulin adsorption to the polyurethane or PVC PICC tubing
Insulin can adsorb to PVC and polyurethane tubing surfaces, reducing the delivered dose and causing unexpectedly poor glycemic control in patients receiving PICC-based insulin infusions.
Which action is required before administering blood products through a PICC line to prevent hemolysis?
Answer: Flush with normal saline (0.9% NaCl) only before and after blood product infusion
Normal saline (0.9% NaCl) is the only IV solution compatible with blood products; dextrose solutions cause hemolysis and must never be used before or after blood administration.