Im home on iv meds through my port. It's time for my weekly needle change and pro home iv can't do it. So my doctor sent orders for the hospital infusion center to do it, but they won't because he's not a local doctor. So he suggested I go to the ER!!? Hours sitting around in a germy hospital with 2 kids touching everything. Can I just have my husband do it? Does it require anything different?
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Changing port needle during iv
- Thread starter Jeana
- Start date
Hey I'm 24. I'm on my second port; I got the first one when I was about 14. My doctor at the time actually emphasized patients learning and being taught to access/deaccess their own port (since I do all my own home IVs, it actually was probably a good idea to cut down on infection--both from going to a hospital/dr office and because as we all know, nurses are sometimes sickeningly lax when it comes to sterile procedure). It was incredibly easy to learn--don't believe any one who tells you otherwise. As long as I have a mirror I am good to go. Obviously follow sterile procedure using a dressing kit and use the properly sized needle (a special port needle--I'm sure that goes without saying). When I moved to another state (and new doctor) three years ago, they were absolutely baffled that I did my own monthly flushes. The doctor refused to order dressing kits and needles until I came into the office and "displayed" my technique to the nurses in a sort of Port-access test! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> Of course, they approved. Also, I trained my ex-girlfriend (of three years--so she was around CF a lot) how to help change a dressing because she wanted to learn. If you need any other tips on how specifically to tell him to do it, just let me know! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
My husband was trained to do the monthly flushes, but is there anything different when leaving the needle in? Besides leaving the needle in? Lol. The only real concern I have is holding the while thing in place and since my tubing has two sections--one for heparin and one for saline (like a y), do I fill the side that I won't be connecting with saline or heparin?
No, not really any difference. The technique is the same, he just needs to flush the line before he inserts the needle with saline.. Once the needle is in, draw back to see if there is a blood return, if he does, then he is in the right place and he can just flush the line through, put the dressing on and voila! You are up and running <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Hope this helped
Jenn 40 wCF
Hope this helped
Jenn 40 wCF
I am such a control freak I wont let anyone including my husband to access or flush my port. I don't trust the nurses at the hospital to access it. The only nurses I found that are half way decent are ones that work on specialty floors like Oncology or ICU. Keeping the port free from infection is so important. Only u and ur spouse will be extra careful doing it. Good luck and if u have any questions feel free to ask. I've been accessing my port for years now.