IV solution warming temperatures

[Melvin R]

What is the acceptable temperature range for warming of IV solutions?  Baxter says 104F but some of sites I visit have it up to 110F.  If you know the answer, a reference would be good

[Just Plain Ruff]

Melvin,  you have the manufacturer's recommendation, do you not trust that?  Just a question not harping, but Baxter is very very well respected and they do provide a vast amount of IV fluid to the healthcare community.  I think I would go with what they say.  Are the other sites you are referring to, are they manufacturers sites or are they just sites that are out there that you found?  

Honestly, not harping or busting your balls here, but why are you not trusting the manufacturers information?

[Melvin R]

I had been asked by a ASC to find the appropriate number and preferably a range.  They have there set way higher and they wanted confirmation.  When I told a very helpful person at Baxter how high I could here the gasp.  I have no reason not to believe him but the center wanted confirmation and the gasp did it.

[EMT City Administrator]

I have moved this to the patient care questions area.  To vote good answers up, click the up arrow, to click less good answers down, click the down arrow.  The answers with the highest rating will be displayed first.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Again Melvin R, I was not busting your balls or criticizing you, I was just asking why you were questioning the manufacturers numbers.  

 

Here is what I would do

I would contact a number of manufacturers of IV solutions and ask them the exact same question and see what answers you get.  Then take the numbers you get and develop a range that your system is comfortable with.  It seems like your system is operating out of the safe operating range.  So that's what I would do.  But one caveat, you run the risk of running into trouble and legal issues if you heat the fluid of let's say Baxters fluid to higher than what Baxter says is recommended for their fluid based on let's say "medtronics" numbers.  

 

So if you heat baxters fluids to medtronics numbers of 114 degrees yet baxters numbers are 108 degrees and you use medtronics numbers, then you run legal and medical risks.  Does that make sense.  

My opinion is to only warm your fluid to your suppliers recommended temperatures and no higher.  I'm sure your risk management team would say the same thing.  

[scubanurse]

In our ER, in the foothills of Colorado, we have our IV warmers set at 100 F.  That being said, we have bare huggers, rangers, and the level 1 infuser to warm fluids more.

[Arctickat]

This reminds me, I should go make sure my thermal angels are all charged up.

 

Thanks!!!

[1EMT-P]

The facilities that I have worked at all had fluid warmers that were set to 100 F.