FLOBRN 169 Posts Specializes in NICU,MB,Lact.Consultant, L/D. Has 31 years experience. Feb 14, 2011 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 1 Post Mar 25, 2011 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....
