Hi all,
We're reviewing our hypertonic saline practices, and I wanted to see what others are doing in terms of dispensing for adult patients. Our sodium chloride 3% is a commercially premixed 500 mL bag. If ordered as a bolus, we currently send the entire bag and the ordered amount is given. The bag often remains hung as subsequent boluses are given based on labs, etc. There's the obvious risk of giving more than intended with this practice. We are also considering drawing up the needed amount into an empty container, but run the risk of wasting the unused quantity. It's difficult to draw up the remaining amount into other unit-dose piggybacks, as future dose needs are not known. How does your organization handle this? If you draw up only the amount needed, are you incurring significant waste? Do you compound 3% boluses using a sodium chloride vial, but dispense the premix for continuous infusion?

Thanks in advance,
Mike