What does Arrow recommend as a flushing protocol for central venous catheters?
Because flushing protocols differ from institution to institution and flushing requirements from patient to patient, Arrow does not advocate one set protocol. We know that our catheters maintain patency with a variety of protocols. A good resource for flushing guidelines is the Intravenous Nurses Society (INS) Standards of Practice www.INS1.org. The INS Policies and Procedures for Infusion Nursing, which can be purchased through the INS website, is another valuable resource. You can also find some general reference recommendations for central line care in the Arrow Multi-Lumen Central Venous Catheter Care, Nursing Care Guidelines (literature code ML-NG), which can be downloaded from the educational section of this site.
