IV pumps

Specialties Infusion

Published

Specializes in ER, NICU, PICU, Critical Care Transport.

The hospital I work for is trying new IV pumps. The one's we have now are pretty old and basic but they get the job done. We are previewing some different types now the first evaluation was just up for Alarys pumps. I wasn't too happy with them. Can any body offer info on them if you use them on a day to day basis? My use will be different from most of yours because I work in a pediatric hospital but i would appreciate any info.

Thanks

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

We use the Hospira Plum A+. No problems with these pumps.

yhst-22804368657135_1922_16128349

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Specializes in Palliative Care, NICU/NNP.

We've used them for almost a year now. I like them. Your department can set up its own list of meds, IVs for programing into the pump. The drips are easily calculated and there is a window on the front to tell you what's running, how much is left and you can zoom through 24 hours of history. The tubing is easy to load. Modules can be added for each med/gtt running plus a module for locked drugs/narcs.

The only thing I don't like about this is the alarm volume. The highest volume is 5 and it sounds at 90 decibels! The pump doesn't allow you to turn down the volume, at least to my knowledge, until you've started the pump infusing. So several times within a minute you have to keep hitting the silence button to shut it up.Then there is audio adjust. The highest volume is painful.

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Specializes in ER, NICU, PICU, Critical Care Transport.

Thanks Ginger, here is a specific problem we are having right now; There was levofed infusing at .05 mcg/kg/min and pt was high normo-tensive so the levo was turned off. Then the blood pressure dropped too much. There was no dose between off and .05 mcg/kg/min. with the old pumps it wasn't a problem to calculate the dose and run it at 0.02 mcgs. Is the problem b/c the pump wasn't ready to do that during the trial but will be able to if we buy them? The other problem we had was the pumps sucking air which for IVF is only an annoyance but for pressors e.g. DOPA, Epi, Levo could be a patient safty issue.

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Specializes in Palliative Care, NICU/NNP.

Sorry I haven't followed your thread for a few days. Since the only things we infuse are mostly pain meds, we simply push the program button and change the basal rate. I haven't experienced sucking air, but I do know that these do tend to get air in line, expecially if there's an empty IVPB bag hanging. You can't afford these things happening with the drugs you infuse. These were the only pumps our hospital tried so all I can say is they're better than whatever we had before, which I can't remember what we had, but definitely not the easiest pump to use. Personally with the problems I'd try another brand. Alaris does had a good website with the manuals online. The one tip I did learn when infusing a narcotic drip in the syringe module--when the alarm goes off and says something to the effect of syringe being near empty hit only the silence button and the pump will continue infusing.

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Does any one know how to operate the Horizon Nxt infusion pump?

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