Lock or Line?

[Scaramedic]

I agree with the above. I hate dealing with bags and lines, just another damn thing to get caught up in the monitor cables. Which is another gripe, with all the technology we have now why can't we have wireless leads? Sorry that's another subject. Back to your regularly scheduled program.

[akroeze]

I was thinking about that. We have those monitors that sit in the little pouch around a patient's neck so they can be ambulatory on a floor in the hospital right? Why can't we have these in the field? Makes things so much easier so we don't have to keep them tethered to the big monitor, just that little box. It could connect via bluetooth or something to your monitor.

[Scaramedic]

Exactly!!!

[DwayneEMTP]

As one of my instructors used to say....

"This is an amazing tool/device/drug! It's one of those rare things you can use to truly make a difference in a patient's life!...but it's expensive so don't expect to see it on an ambulance any time soon..."

Dwayne

[strippel]

I would like to be able to lock, but...

We were getting locks from the hospital, to make life much easier for the ER nurses. A big issue ensued, we are no longer allowed to have them.

The locks we have are tiny. It is much easier just to hang a line.

We transport to multiple hospitals, and none use the same tubing, so we use cheap generic. If the patient is sick, the ER must change the tubing anyway. It is actually less expensive for us to use a bag and line, than the locks we would like to use.

[medictx]

Lock or not lock. I am new to this forum but have been a medic for 15 years. I have seen this question talked about for a long time. Some say it's more convenient to lock: convenient for whom? the nurse, medic or pt. . My opinion is this procedure is NOT or should be considered a convenience. We are not doctors. If you can't decide on what is the correct thing to do, then consult with your medical control and review your protocol. Remember that the pt. is your first priority! DO NO HARM.

[Ridryder 911]

What are you talking about? What procedure? Do you know what a lock is? Harm on what? Placing a tubing filled with saline and flushing it or hanging an IV ?

If I called medical control on this, my Doc would either examine me for a stroke or fire me!

R/r 911

[Dustdevil]

Uhhh... HUH?

:shock:

[JPINFV]

Actually, I prefer to not use a lock. It's much better to just let the patient bleed out as it gives the EMT something to do (clean up the unit) and gives the patient a treatable problem. [start IV in other arm, run fluids].

/sarcasm

[firedoc5]

I agree with the above. I hate dealing with bags and lines, just another damn thing to get caught up in the monitor cables. Which is another gripe, with all the technology we have now why can't we have wireless leads? Sorry that's another subject. Back to your regularly scheduled program.

A lock. Unless needing a fluid challenge or pushing a series of multiple drugs, it's one less thing to hold, get in the way, get caught on, etc.