Alaris pca pump...most annoying IV pump ever!

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I am just wondering if anyone else despises the Alaris IV pump...specifically PCA...as much as I do. What a totally obnoxious invention. Today I was trying to start a PCA on my pt....so I get the PCA channel and attach it to the "brain" and I'm good to go....or NOT. I attached it to the left side of the brain (and it attached with no problem) then when I turned it on to program it informed me that it must be attached to the "right hand" side of the pump. No problem.....except that no amount of strength can detach the PCA channel from the left side to put it on the right. ok, no problem, so we will just get a second PCa channel and attach to the proper side. So we do. Turn it on and the screen says we can only have ONE PCA attached (even though it will not work on the wrong side anyways) so we cannot use it...again!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH. So then we start over completely and still didn't get it right because the PCA must b e directly attached to the brain and then the main channel attached to that. I CANNOT STAND ALARIS PUMPS. They are so "smart" they are going to make me crazy. Way too many functions and safegaurds to overcome whIle pt is crying in pain. So ridiculous. Has anyone else had similar issues with Alaris? And don't even get me started on the pointless drug libraries. BRING BACK THE BAXTER PUMP!

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

We don't have Alaris, but our PCAs too are highly sophisticated pieces of junk. Likewise our IV pumps. We used to have great PCAs and pumps that just did what they were supposed to with minimal fuss or problems. But of course that's not good enough for the regulators and do-gooders that are ruining health care for both patient and provider. Yes, I am bitter.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I'm believing that Alaris is what we use at my place of business... yes I find their PCA pumps annoying. I really preferred the Baxter pumps that just kinda went by themselves, not attached to the other, totally separate IV pump.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, Surgical ICU, Medical ICU.

We had the alaris IV pump and got the PCA pump a few months later, I didn't really LOVE the PCA pump but it was doable. It wasn't the worst thing I'd dealt with but it definately wasnt the best. I thought it was pretty user friendly though, I just hated how sensitive it was to air bubbles!

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Pedi.

My facility still uses Baxter... but lucky us were training to switch over right now...

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
I am just wondering if anyone else despises the Alaris IV pump...specifically PCA...as much as I do. What a totally obnoxious invention. Today I was trying to start a PCA on my pt....so I get the PCA channel and attach it to the "brain" and I'm good to go....or NOT. I attached it to the left side of the brain (and it attached with no problem) then when I turned it on to program it informed me that it must be attached to the "right hand" side of the pump. No problem.....except that no amount of strength can detach the PCA channel from the left side to put it on the right. ok, no problem, so we will just get a second PCa channel and attach to the proper side. So we do. Turn it on and the screen says we can only have ONE PCA attached (even though it will not work on the wrong side anyways) so we cannot use it...again!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH. So then we start over completely and still didn't get it right because the PCA must b e directly attached to the brain and then the main channel attached to that. I CANNOT STAND ALARIS PUMPS. They are so "smart" they are going to make me crazy. Way too many functions and safegaurds to overcome whIle pt is crying in pain. So ridiculous. Has anyone else had similar issues with Alaris? And don't even get me started on the pointless drug libraries. BRING BACK THE BAXTER PUMP!

OMG!!!!!! And I thought it was just me!! I can not tell you how many times I had threatened to take a sledgehammer to those horrible things! Even in front of my patient one time! Of course, we got an orientation class of about 5 minutes. I guess they thought we were all Einsteins or something!

Anne, RNC :imdbb:

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Specializes in Peds.

Sounds like we were really lucky with the 2 1/2 hour classes we got. We're rolling them out next week. We didn't get the PCA or the syringe pumps, only the large-volume pumps. I'm alarmed (no pun intended) to hear that they're so sensitive to air. The pieces of junk we're using right now are almost impossible to prime either ahead of time or in a hurry without the dreaded unfixable air in line alarm. I hope we're no just trading one obnoxious alarm for another!

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Specializes in NA, Stepdown, L&D, Trauma ICU, ER.

We've been using the IV pumps for about a year, but we just started the PCA pumps. Rumor has it that we're also gonna start using them for our epidurals, can't wait for that:uhoh3:

I have found that when you have a pump that continuously alarms for air in the line cleaning the sensor will make a huge difference. Just open the door and pop out the tubing, the sensor is around the bottom section you snap the tubing into. I just fold an alcohol swab and wipe it out. Usually fixes the problem for me.

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The key to not getting the "air in line" is to always prime your tubing slowly. The extra 5 seconds it takes to do this, will avoid all of those annoying allarms!!

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Specializes in PERI OPERATIVE.

The PCA attachment has a small button on the bottom that you can push to detatch it from the "wrong side". (Not the blue button you normally push to get the modules off.) You can't force it off! We have done this before and it is frustrating.

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Specializes in OB/GYN, Emergency.

I used to love using the Alaris pump and will be using it again soon, but I didn't have to do PCA pumps. I think overall the pump alarms go off more frequently than other brands, but I thought it was helpful to see exactly which med was infusing on each attachment and the rate for quick safety checks throughout the day.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, PCU.
I am just wondering if anyone else despises the Alaris IV pump...specifically PCA...as much as I do. What a totally obnoxious invention. Today I was trying to start a PCA on my pt....so I get the PCA channel and attach it to the "brain" and I'm good to go....or NOT. I attached it to the left side of the brain (and it attached with no problem) then when I turned it on to program it informed me that it must be attached to the "right hand" side of the pump. No problem.....except that no amount of strength can detach the PCA channel from the left side to put it on the right. ok, no problem, so we will just get a second PCa channel and attach to the proper side. So we do. Turn it on and the screen says we can only have ONE PCA attached (even though it will not work on the wrong side anyways) so we cannot use it...again!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH. So then we start over completely and still didn't get it right because the PCA must b e directly attached to the brain and then the main channel attached to that. I CANNOT STAND ALARIS PUMPS. They are so "smart" they are going to make me crazy. Way too many functions and safegaurds to overcome whIle pt is crying in pain. So ridiculous. Has anyone else had similar issues with Alaris? And don't even get me started on the pointless drug libraries. BRING BACK THE BAXTER PUMP!

Totally agree! And one more thing, has anyone ever noticed that the Max. amount for 4hr lockout does not match the Max pre-set amounts for certain drugs. For instance I had an order for 2 mg. morphine Q 10 minutes with 30 mg./4 hr lockout. That makes absoultely no sense! There are 6 10 minute interval in 1 hour. 2 X 6 = 12mg/hr; 12X4 hrs. is 48 mg/4 hr. when I questioned it, I was told that's the way the facility programs the PCA's with 3 different mg. choices for 4-hour lockout. Has anyone ever heard of that?

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