Alaris pumps?

Specialties Critical

Published

How do you all feel about the Alaris pumps? Issues with channels falling off, air in line, channel errors?

Specializes in Advanced Heart Failure, Progressive Care.

I like the Alaris pumps well enough but the alarms can be so tedious. The tiniest bubbles will set them off. My facility's alaris pumps wirelessly communicate things such as volumes infused, rates of infusion, and even manually programmed changes from the pump to the eMAR, but that is only as good as our wifi signal.

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Specializes in ICU/CVU.

Not a fan of Alaris pumps. We use Alaris pumps in the CTICU and we use Baxter in our ICU. I prefer the Baxter, just more user friendly. The Baxter has its "upstream occlusion" issues similar to the Alaris "air in line" issues though.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

We found that if the connectors/contacts are cleaned with Sani-wipes or bleach wipes the pumps won't connect properly. And the air in line...I want to scream some days!

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I love the Alaris pumps. I have found that the major cause of air-in-line alarms is priming the line too quickly. Happens a lot in the ICU with the push to "get it done--fast".

If the channels are old, they don't always latch easily and that's annoying, but I don't consider it a pump problem. Interesting comment on Sani-wipes or bleach wipes damaging the connections. I am sure they do, especially the bleach wipes.

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Specializes in NICU, telemetry.

I have very rarely had issues with channels. Occasionally have issues with air in line, but other than that, I love the programming of the pumps! They're easy to work and make me feel like I have a good backup for guardrails.

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