IV maintenance tips

[willdgate]

Hey,

Can anyone tell me some tips about how to keep the IV infusion pump from beeping (occluding) or how to prime IV with flush w/o doing it the long way.

Also, how to get air out of tubing and how to air out of IV fluids.

[ERnurse:)]

The IV pump will beep for a couple of reasons so to stop it you have to troubleshoot. If it is upstream your tubing may be still be clamped etc. If it is downstream it is usually because of the patient's position related to the cannula. Have them straighten the arm, or select a better site for insertion (the ACF is a bad one for beeping, try sites that the patient does not bend at). I don't know if you wanted more detailed tips, but those are usually the reasons the pump beeps.

As for getting air out of lines you can use a syringe to withdraw the air from the nearest port (above). That always works for me, or if its just a bit of air (few bubbles) it is okay in a PIV.

As for getting air out of IV fluids I am not sure what you mean, invert the ports when you prime the tubing, and with IV direct meds pull back and flick the bubbles out when you are preparing the med.

Hope that helps :)