IV pump help---all help appreciated

kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 11, 2010

Well if it's occluded, I usually check to make sure they aren't laying on the tubing or that it isn't kinked somewhere. If all that looks good, check the IV site itself to make sure the IV is still good(hasn't infiltrated). If you have the "air in line", warning...you can usually take the IV set out of the pump and tap the bubbles out. If not, you might have to unhook the IV from the patient and prime the tubing again. If the fluid is finished running, unhook from the patient and flush with saline. :)

Regardless of the warning, hit the button that will silence the beeping so it won't annoy the crap out of you while you're in there fiddling with it.

Jolie, BSN · Oct 11, 2010

I would encourage you to share your concerns with your clinical instructor or the director of your campus practice lab.

This is an important skill, but not one that is easily described or understood over the internet.

There is probably a way that you can practice, using a spare pump and tubing during clinical time, view a video of troubleshooting the pump, or practice in your lab using similar equipment.

al7139, ASN, RN · Oct 14, 2010

Hi, We use the same pumps at my hospital.

If the pump says "occlusion" it will specify the patient side (below the pump to the patient) or above the pump between the bag and the pump. Most often, the occlusion is one of two things if it is on the patient side: The patients IV is in a place where the arm can bend such as the AC (elbow), wrist, or even a finger (if pt is a hard stick). The occlusion occurs when the pt bends that area and blocks flow. Unfortunately, it doesnt just turn off or reset when the joint is unbent so we have to go check it. I HATE having IV's in the AC area especially since it happens so often. It is impossible not to bend your elbow and the confused LOL/LOM's forget all the time. I try never to use the AC unless it is a last resort when I place an IV, and lots of times the alet pts request it to be moved to keep down the annoyance factor. The other main reason is that something is clamped off (and yes, even us experienced nurses forget to unclamp the line sometimes if we are in a hurry). Also another reason is that the IV may have a small clot in it or it is infiltrated. This is why you should ALWAYS flush the IV first before hanging something (the exception would be if you are hanging a piggyback with fluids already running, then you would just check the IV site to make sure it is still good). Pt laying on lines or tangled lines are also a possibility.

If the occlusion occurs above the pump, it is usually because the line is incorrectly placed into the pump, or there is a clamp above the pump that is not open (this is rare, usually lines don't have clamps above the pump with Alaris, except on the transfusion lines).

If the infusion is complete, simply turn off the pump or channel (depending on single or multiple infusions) and disconnect the line and flush the IV. Don't forget to cap the end of the line to avoid contamination so it can be reused in the event the same drug must be administered again in the future.

For air in the line this is usually either because the line was not primed, or when the piggyback was hung there was a tiny air bubble at the connection (this can be avoided by back filling the line). Sometimes if you have an infusion in a glass bottle, air bubbles occur more frequently. Also it helps if when the line is primed, the drip chamber is filled at least 2/3 full. Small air bubbles can be tapped out, with the larger ones the line needs to be reprimed.

You should get all this training in school or in clinical. Alaris also has a training website. Hope this helps you! Don't be nervous! It takes time to learn all the "tricks"

Amy