Information on flushing your own port?

TestifyToLove · Jun 7, 2008

The big thing is you need to maintain sterile technique. Anything that is going to touch the port area, needs to not touch anything that is not also sterile.

We port access twice a week for our hemophilia son. We actually use a tegraderm to cover the port site. We use sterile technique to access him but once we have the tegraderm in place, its secure and we don't have to continue with the gloves/mask/sterile field. At that point, we just have to ensure the ends of the syringes and the tip of the port line remain sterile. For a wiggly 7 year old, its MUCH easier.

TestifyToLove · Jun 7, 2008

The big thing is you need to maintain sterile technique. Anything that is going to touch the port area, needs to not touch anything that is not also sterile.

We port access twice a week for our hemophilia son. We actually use a tegraderm to cover the port site. We use sterile technique to access him but once we have the tegraderm in place, its secure and we don't have to continue with the gloves/mask/sterile field. At that point, we just have to ensure the ends of the syringes and the tip of the port line remain sterile. For a wiggly 7 year old, its MUCH easier.

TestifyToLove · Jun 7, 2008

The big thing is you need to maintain sterile technique. Anything that is going to touch the port area, needs to not touch anything that is not also sterile.

We port access twice a week for our hemophilia son. We actually use a tegraderm to cover the port site. We use sterile technique to access him but once we have the tegraderm in place, its secure and we don't have to continue with the gloves/mask/sterile field. At that point, we just have to ensure the ends of the syringes and the tip of the port line remain sterile. For a wiggly 7 year old, its MUCH easier.

TestifyToLove · Jun 7, 2008

The big thing is you need to maintain sterile technique. Anything that is going to touch the port area, needs to not touch anything that is not also sterile.

We port access twice a week for our hemophilia son. We actually use a tegraderm to cover the port site. We use sterile technique to access him but once we have the tegraderm in place, its secure and we don't have to continue with the gloves/mask/sterile field. At that point, we just have to ensure the ends of the syringes and the tip of the port line remain sterile. For a wiggly 7 year old, its MUCH easier.

TestifyToLove · Jun 7, 2008

The big thing is you need to maintain sterile technique. Anything that is going to touch the port area, needs to not touch anything that is not also sterile.
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<br />We port access twice a week for our hemophilia son. We actually use a tegraderm to cover the port site. We use sterile technique to access him but once we have the tegraderm in place, its secure and we don't have to continue with the gloves/mask/sterile field. At that point, we just have to ensure the ends of the syringes and the tip of the port line remain sterile. For a wiggly 7 year old, its MUCH easier.

findingher · Jun 7, 2008

That's what I do, too, Testify, but it seemed more like she was looking for instructions on just flushing it, you know, maintenance care, not preparing it to be used for meds. I've never JUST flushed mine, as I'm on IV antibiotics all the time, so every time I access mine is for long term use. I'm assuming if you're only flushing, you don't need a tegaderm. But if you're leaving the needle in for a week, definitely, once that teg is on, off with all the protective gear!

findingher · Jun 7, 2008

That's what I do, too, Testify, but it seemed more like she was looking for instructions on just flushing it, you know, maintenance care, not preparing it to be used for meds. I've never JUST flushed mine, as I'm on IV antibiotics all the time, so every time I access mine is for long term use. I'm assuming if you're only flushing, you don't need a tegaderm. But if you're leaving the needle in for a week, definitely, once that teg is on, off with all the protective gear!

findingher · Jun 7, 2008

That's what I do, too, Testify, but it seemed more like she was looking for instructions on just flushing it, you know, maintenance care, not preparing it to be used for meds. I've never JUST flushed mine, as I'm on IV antibiotics all the time, so every time I access mine is for long term use. I'm assuming if you're only flushing, you don't need a tegaderm. But if you're leaving the needle in for a week, definitely, once that teg is on, off with all the protective gear!

findingher · Jun 7, 2008

That's what I do, too, Testify, but it seemed more like she was looking for instructions on just flushing it, you know, maintenance care, not preparing it to be used for meds. I've never JUST flushed mine, as I'm on IV antibiotics all the time, so every time I access mine is for long term use. I'm assuming if you're only flushing, you don't need a tegaderm. But if you're leaving the needle in for a week, definitely, once that teg is on, off with all the protective gear!

findingher · Jun 7, 2008

That's what I do, too, Testify, but it seemed more like she was looking for instructions on just flushing it, you know, maintenance care, not preparing it to be used for meds. I've never JUST flushed mine, as I'm on IV antibiotics all the time, so every time I access mine is for long term use. I'm assuming if you're only flushing, you don't need a tegaderm. But if you're leaving the needle in for a week, definitely, once that teg is on, off with all the protective gear!

Asexyblond23 · Jun 7, 2008