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

[lmc512]

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!

[FLOBRN]

Making sure you prime your PCA using the pump instead of doing it manually may help. I was trained to do it that way and never had a problem. Sorry but I loved the Alaris pumps : /

[loriannern]

It sounds like you didn't get proper training. It's too bad because it is such an awesome pump if you've been shown how to use it. Alaris does a really good job of teaching but sometimes not everybody gets to go due to schedules, budget, etc. The reason for the module to be on the right side of the PC is so patients and/or family members can't press the blue button to detach the module. You have to have the key to open the door to depress the gray lever down at the bottom. Also, if your limits don't match your orders, that is something that should be changed by pharmacy or the order sets need to change to match what pharmacy recommends. They really are very awesome pumps. Easy to program and very safe. Air in lines are a nuisance but as other posters have said, fill the drip chamber 2/3 full, prime the line SLOWLY, make sure the air-in-line sensor is clean (with a water dampened cotton swab, not alcohol) and make sure that you push the tubing all the way back into the air-in-line sensor. If the tubing isn't pushed back all the way, there may be a gap and the pump will think that it's air. I really do love the pump. :) Hope that helps....