Damn air

Specialties Infusion

Published

Whats the best and fastest way to get air out of IV lines once they are running on a pump.

Once they are up and running I always get a pump with air in line,so I stop the pump, disconnect everything,take it out of the machine and flush the air out.

Is there a faster way to do it?

If the air is between the pump and the pt, I think that is what you have to do. (It's what I've always done.) But if the air is between the solution bag and the chamber, or even in the chamber, we can backprime into a secondary bag or syringe to get the air out. Don't know if all pumps are set up like this. Does this help? :)

if there is a port between the bubble and the patient, you can watch adn stick the needle im just before the bubble gets to the port and it will flush itself out...

Specializes in Trauma acute surgery, surgical ICU, PACU.

I clamp the tubing near the pt, and then open up the clamp to the bag.... then alcohol swab the port just above the clamped area and withdraw all the air with a sterile syringe. Also works to just insert a sterile needle and let the fluid and air flow out (catch the drips with a container of some kind). As long as the line is clamped at the pt, so that air does not flow in, you're safe.

fastest way is to just let them have the air:).

but seriously I usually just insert a sterile needle below the bubble clamp the tubing between pt and buble and open up flow rate until buble is gone.

or if pump has back prime feature i will use that.

Thank you,thank you

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