IV Volume Control Sets

Currently our practice is to use a buretrol/soluset for IV administration and to drop 2 hours worth of fluid in case of a pump issue. We are changing to new pumps next month and are looking at our tubing use. Upper administration found out that the solusets are costly and want to stop using them. I need to know what the standard is in other NICUs. Thanks!

Check thru the list of threads under peds for a similar discussion.

My personal belief is that until an error-proof pump is designed, Buretrols are an absolutely necessary safety device for neonates and pediatric patients.

Check thru the list of threads under peds for a similar discussion.

My personal belief is that until an error-proof pump is designed, Buretrols are an absolutely necessary safety device for neonates and pediatric patients.

Thanks! I totally agree!

What about switching to all syringe pumps? That is what we did and it is SO much easier. Not only for buretrol issues, since the pump will alarm when the syringe is near empty, but priming fluids and adjusting drip rates are now simplified. We love our suringe pumps and have finally rid the unit of all of our old tubing and pumps. It took about 2 years to fully convert though- without needing the extra pumps as backup. I can PM you the name of our brand of pumps if you are interested.

How would you set those up for your maintenance fluids? Do you have a bag hanging that you draw fluid from?

We havent' used buretrols for going on 10 years. I haven't seen any increase in problems with the pumps...most have many safety factors built into them. Ours have a neonatal setting on them and the rates only go so high. They also have an anti free flow device on them if the cassette pops out. Our peds floors don't use them anymore either.

We use syringe pumps for our lipids since we havent' been able to get the syringe adapters for our pumps...we have had at least 4 incidents each month for the past 6 months for IL going in way too fast. I think it happens because we use the same pumps for feeds and instead of putting the IL over 10 hours it gets put over 10 minutes! We now have to have a double signature on our IL to show that someone checked our pumps.

We are not allowed to draw anything out of any IV bag anymore also because of contamination risk, esp with TPN and central lines. Our pharmacy does everything under laminar air.