air in the IV tubes...??

charleeh

Hi,

I have just got to ask this rather odd question but it is bothering me so I hope someone can offer a bit of advice?

I have been having various IV meds for some years now and am slightly concerned about some of the nurses that administer my medications.

I have seen air bubbles in the tubes about an inch long that they let go in my vein and I have complained and said there are air bubbles and they have ignored my concern saying they know what they are doing and it won't matter.....

Now, when I went last time one of the nurses made sure that every tiny bubble was out of the tube - something I have not seen done in 5 years of IV treatment! .... do you think maybe someone else has complained?

Also, I have seen another nurse from a different hospital (doing holiday cover) ensure all of the bubbles are out of the tubes.

I spoke to a friend of my Mom's a retired nurse, who said no air should be in the tube and the bare maximum is 10mil that is safe????

Can anyone shed any light on this please? I am worried about complaining about the nurses as I feel they would favour me even less if I did.

Charleeh

DebbieT

Hi,

I'm so sorry I have no idea :? Hopefully someone with better knowledge will post sooner or later tho. It may be worth asking the AC Team in that part of the forum, they may know?!

Good luck.xx

salamander

I think it has to be quite a lot to do you harm but, if you are worried, why not talk to one of the senior staff next time you have your IV.

barbara12

Hi Charleeh
Glad there is someone else worries about this, when I had my hip done I had a couple of IVs..I asked the nurse about the air bubbles and she said don't worry :? ..I hope our Maria comes along she is our resident nurse...

chookgate

I think TV has a lot to answer for here. So many crime shows have people being killed by having air injected into their IV or their vein. I believe a large quanitity of air injected in can kill you quite quickly, but small (and small can look quite large in a tube hooked up to your arm!) bubbles in an IV will do no harm at all.

Hopefully a nurse will be along soon to confirm the details.

villier

Charleeh, I get IV treatment every three weeks(not for arthritis) I have never ben told to look for air bubbles in the line but I do notice all the nurses do check the line before and when the infusion is started. The infusion pumps though must have built in safety devices as now and again the machine will go of, on checking, it will maybe read downward occlusion or upward occlusion a nurse will then come and fiddle about with it till it runs properly. Who to speak to....... I would maybe speak to the charge nurse on the ward, you could put it across you are asking about the safety aspects of the machine regarding air bubbles or maybe if you have a good rapport with your GP ask him/her what their thoughts are...............Marie x

Oh I have just remembered one time my machine went off and when the nurse came she took the line off and flushed it I cant remember what the machine said but it went through fine afterwards.

As5567

I think a tiny bit of air is ok, I get infusions every 8 weeks or so and sometimes my line will have small bits of air from where they changed the bag over. I think the machine they use to pump the IV stops if it detects too much air in the line too?

Claire38

A small air bubble will do no harm at all. If the IV is going through a pump it will alarm, and the nurse will only be able to let so much air through, by manually pushing the correct buttons on the pump, that is safe. The pump will not allow too much air to be pushed through before it alarms. The IV lines (giving sets) don't actually hold that much liquid in them. About 10-15mls at the most. An air bubble in a line can look a lot more than it actually is. You would have to let a good few cm's of air through for it to potentially cause harm.

If there are several air bubbles then these should be got rid off, or if a large air bubble.

To become competent to administer IV's needs a very good understanding of what is safe and what is not, and regular updates.

If you are unsure please speak to the nurse in charge. They should be able to reassure you.

From a Senior Nurse with 10 years experience of administering IV drugs, including chemotherapy :-)

Hope this helps.

charleeh

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I recently had an appointment with my specialist and I mentioned it to him - but made him promise that I was to be kept anonymous. He said he will let the head nurse know and if they see anyone letting air bubbles be in the tube they will correct them.

I feel a bit more at ease now, especially after all of your replies so thanks so much.... especially Claire38

All I have to worry about now is when the nurse (the same one I had the air bubble issue with) puts the tourniquet around my arm and leaves it tight while she is faffing around with packets and needles! Last time my arm was lilac in colour and I asked her to take it off as I had a horrible sharp pain and pins and needles !!!!

Never mind ay.

At least treatment in England is free - I really do consider myself lucky to be here when it comes to health, a lot of folk around the world are not so lucky.

Again... Thanks everyone so much, you have been a great help.

Best wishes,
Charleeh Xx