Iabp...

AmyCardsNP, RN, NP · Feb 21, 2007

I recently took a balloon pump refresher course that was instructed by a Datascope rep and they recommend that you do NOT draw blood from the pump. But, on the other hand, on my unit (where we get a very high volume of balloon pump patients) we will always draw blood from the balloon as long as the patient is stable enough to allow the balloon to be put on standby for the few minutes it takes to draw the blood and flush the tubing out.

Hope that helps

Wile E Coyote, ASN, RN · Feb 27, 2007

So, in other words, according to the manufacturers.........no.

Is it done regularly in certain circles, apparently so.

I personally never have, nor would I teach that it be done.

NCVegRN · Mar 2, 2007

We were taught by our manufacturer to only do so in an extreme emergency - and that is waht we practice.

meandragonbrett · Mar 3, 2007

If these pts are sick enough to have an IABP, why do they not have a central line or an A-line to draw off of?

AmyCardsNP, RN, NP · Mar 4, 2007

The patient with a balloon pump comes from the cath lab, which is not a common place for central lines to be placed (in our facility anyways). And, as far as an A-line goes, we shy away from placing an arterial line for the sole purpose of blood draws unless the patient is on a ventilator requiring frequent ABGs (due to the risk of infection). We don't need another line for continuous blood pressure monitoring, as we can see that on the IABP.

Of course, when the patient has an IABP after open heart surgery, they will have a central line.

meandragonbrett · Mar 4, 2007

I would probably start a #20 PIV in a large vein or the AC adn then draw labs off of there. Of course, that would depend on your hospital policy and if it allowed for it. Our policy does not allow for labs to be drawn off of PIV's but the ICUs do it.

heartrn4duke · Mar 21, 2007

Our policy is not because of the risks of clots. We have done it in emergent situations but it is frowned upon due to the increased risks of clotting ot air in aorta. :balloons:

SanFranSRNA · Mar 21, 2007

In our facility, we use Autocat2. It's great! Normally, when patient came back from OR or cath lab with balloon pump they will have two A-lines. One attaches with the pump itself and another a line came from a side port that we can hook up to the monitor. The rep recommended that we use the side port to draw blood sample instead of using the one hooked up to the pump.

clarkheart · Mar 23, 2007

Our IABP's come back with a distal and proximal arterial port.

The distal is transduced to the balloon pump and used for timing and triggering purposes. The proximal port is always attached to a pressure line and transduced if needed for arterial pressures on our monitor. We have never had any problems with clotting-our policy requires at least hourly flushing of both ports and both have to attached to pressure lines.