Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 16, 2026

A Protocol to Set Up Needle-Free Connector with Positive Displacement on Central Venous Catheter in Intensive Care Unit
Published on: July 13, 2019
Accuracy of coagulation values obtained from a heparinized central venous catheter
1St. Joseph's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ.
Purpose/Objectives:
To compare coagulation values of blood samples drawn from heparinized central venous catheters (CVCs) and peripheral veins.
Design:
Correlational.
Setting:
Adult, acute-care hematology/oncology unit in a 1,000-bed teaching hospital.
Sample:
Twelve adult patients with cancer who had varied diagnoses and patent CVCs.
Methods:
Simultaneous blood samples were drawn from the CVC and a peripheral vein and were tested for prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT).
Main Research Variables:
PT and aPTT values.
Findings:
PT and aPTT values were significantly prolonged in samples drawn from CVCs when compared to peripherally drawn samples.
Conclusions:
Accurate coagulation values cannot be obtained from a heparinized CVC.
Implications For Nursing Practice:
Blood for coagulation values should be obtained from peripheral veni-puncture. Further research should explore the effects of various catheters, heparin dwell time, and systemic anticoagulation on coagulation values.
Related Concept Videos
Coagulation
Coagulation
During the coagulation phase, clotting factors, or procoagulants, play a vital role in initiating and progressing the coagulation cascade. This cascade is a series of reactions...
Uncertainty in Measurement: Accuracy and Precision
Biodiversity and Human Values
Professional Values
The values that are the foundation of the nursing profession are altruism, autonomy, human dignity, and social justice.
First, altruism refers to the concern for the welfare and well-being of others without personal...
Improving Translational Accuracy

