The nurse observes fine white crystals in the intravenous (IV) tubing that is infusing an antibiotic. Which action should the nurse take?

Question

a. Tell the patient that this is a common oc-currence.
b. Stop the infusion and notify the healthcare provider.
c. Flush the tubing with normal saline solu-tion.
d. Attach a 0.22-micrometer inline intra-venous (IV) filter.

Answer 1

B
White crystals in IV tubing indicate precipitation of a substance in the infusion, most likely the medication because it is the solute with the highest concentration. If the crystals enter the patient, they can behave like emboli, occluding tiny vessels, and cause regional irritation. At a minimum, the crystals usually occlude the IV line. The nurse stops the infusion, discards the IV tubing, checks to ensure compatibility of all agents in the infusion, and notifies the healthcare provider. The IV access potentially needs to be changed. The nurse avoids telling the patient that this is a common occurrence because it is a complication of an IV infusion. He or she avoids flushing the tubing because injecting a fluid bolus increases the risk of infusing a crystal into the patient. He or she uses an IV filter when indicated for effective therapy.