Air in the line!!! What am I doing wrong?

[juliannaUT]

Ok, I have a question. Probably a dumb one...but oh well. When I hang IV medication...I spike the bag, prime the line, and yet it seems that about half of the time it runs in fine, and half of the time it's only a matter of time before the stupid thing beeps because of air in the line. What the heck am I doing wrong? Does anyone have any tips? How do I keep air out of the line?

[d2k2ross]

I don't know what kind of pump your facility uses, but where I work they ALWAYS beep with "air in the line"...but there is never any air visible. This has been a huge aggravation for staff and patients alike. Usually, if you mess with them long enough (take the cassette out and put it back in, flick the line, etc.) the alarm gives up. It's kind of a pain though!

[LTCangel, ADN, BSN, LPN]

When I prime an Iv line I tyrn the cassette upside down until the bubble is about halfway filled then turn it back upright and let it fill all the way and finish priming the remaider of the line. This usually always works. I keep an empty syringe in case I need to pull air out or back primr into the secondary bag.

[Scarlette Wings]

ok, i have a question. probably a dumb one...but oh well. when i hang iv medication...i spike the bag, prime the line, and yet it seems that about half of the time it runs in fine, and half of the time it's only a matter of time before the stupid thing beeps because of air in the line. what the heck am i doing wrong? does anyone have any tips? how do i keep air out of the line?

hi,

couple of tricks i have used for 20 years. first it is important not to run the fluid in wide open because that speed is condusive to bubble making. (is that a nursing term lol) next when there is visible bubbles, if you cannot pull the line taught and thump or flick the tubing and sort of burb the bubbles up (depends on how many).. then i go below the bubbles to the next port with a 10 cc syringe and clean the port (and clamp the area between the patient and the port so you don't draw blood back from the patient) then i withdraw fluid and bubbles up into my syringe.sometimes i have to draw more than one syringe full of fluid.

wish i could draw a picture that made more sense. good luck.

[Ayvah, RN]

Shiccy's method is what I've used and it has worked well for me.

One other tip if you've already got your tubing set up: attach an empty syringe to the port where the secondary IV would normally attach to the cassette, and backprime into that empty syringe until you've gotten all the air out.

[anonymurse]

A lot of times at a facility I did a clinical rotation at, the pump would beep but there would OBVIOUSLY be no bubble. A nurse there told me that if the tubing has any residue on it (finger residue, adhesive, anything), the machine will beep like there is a bubble. so now after priming the tube right before I put it in I do a quick wipe down the tube with an alcohol wipe and the inside where the cassette sits. It seems to help me when I have done all of the above and there is still NO BUBBLE!!

OK, when there is no bubble and the pump says "air in the line" then press down the little doohickey that holds down the line after the cassette, the one after the air sensor. Make sure it clicks.