Speaking of IV/Heplock - does anyone know

papagena

if you can go in the shower with one? 

cfranklin1

Usually you can if it has a tegaderm over the cath entry.  That will prevent any water from getting in.

 

ETA: there's also something called a cover-cath.  Your hospital may have those...it's like a giant tegaderm.

SarahTx5701

I dont think you can get it wet?...maybe? The only thing I know is the first time I went to ds ds in the nicu you have to scrub in and wash your hands for 1 minute, but because I still had the heplock I could use hand sanitizer instead. So maybe it was because I couldn't get it wet?

That all I really know...not much help.

Tcarrol12

I can not remember for the life of me if i showered but I did take a bath during labor in the bubble tub with the heplock in. BTW it hurt like H*ll when it went in, and I am not a baby about needles. they put it running down like the bone on the side of my hand, omg ouch!

papagena

Tcarrol12:

I can not remember for the life of me if i showered but I did take a bath during labor in the bubble tub with the heplock in. BTW it hurt like H*ll when it went in, and I am not a baby about needles. they put it running down like the bone on the side of my hand, omg ouch!

Joy - out of curiosity, is it any worse than a regular IV?  Didn't have any issue with that with DS.

Buckets of Moonbeams

For sure yes with the heplock.  I do not know with a regular IV, but I had 2 showers with the Heplock when I delivered my son.

 

Also- I'm getting that sucker higher up in my arm next time.  They put it right at the back of my hand, and my wrist was sore for about 10 days afterward.  Ouchie.

rkearns0821

Just to let you know a Heplock is the same as a regular IV. The actually IV cath itself is no different, heplock is a type of port that is attached to the end of the IV cath to keep the vein open and accessible. So instead of them inserting the IV and then screwing in the IV tubing to the end, they will put the IV in and then put a little port on the end, flush it once or twice and then slap a tegaderm over it to keep it in place. It really is very easy...well that is if you get an RN that knows what they are doing , but that is true with any IV right?

The reason it probably hurt the pp more is that anytime you get an IV in your hand or wrist it tends to hurt more than in your arm or AC space (elbow joint) The reason for that is because there are more nerve endings near your hand, it is kinda the same reason why when you have blood drawn people tend to say it hurts more when you draw from the hand than the arm.

papagena

rkearns0821:

Just to let you know a Heplock is the same as a regular IV. The actually IV cath itself is no different, heplock is a type of port that is attached to the end of the IV cath to keep the vein open and accessible. So instead of them inserting the IV and then screwing in the IV tubing to the end, they will put the IV in and then put a little port on the end, flush it once or twice and then slap a tegaderm over it to keep it in place. It really is very easy...well that is if you get an RN that knows what they are doing , but that is true with any IV right?

Whoot!  Thank you - don't remember any significant pain from my IV.  Ah - I loved my nurses!!!

midnight*sun

I was in the hospital for a week and was able to take a shower with one in my arm.

nursemom2011

Your not supposed to. Just cover it good. It's not a big deal if it gets damp.

Rhapsody527

When I was in the hospital with DD, I went in the shower several times with it. The nurse just covered it up really well.