Microdrip via Alaris - True purpose?

[nurs1ng]

My fellow nurses,

i have been wondering about this for some time now.. What's the purpose of having a micro drip chamber if your flow rate is controlled via Alaris pump? Would the use of a micro drip chamber be, then, obsolete?

thanks!

[Wile E Coyote, ASN, RN]

If the microdrip chamber is also on low-sorbing tubing, like used for IV Nitro, then perhaps there's your answer.

[Ladyscrubs]

I hope I understand your question.

The chamber has a purpose, whether it be microdrip or standard. It exists so air can exit the chamber and not allow air to pass down the tubing to cause air embolism, so basically it is an air blocking system.

Years ago, we never had enough pumps to go around so many of our "no-add" solutions were infused by counting the drops. Now it seems that every solution gets hung with a pump. On the Alaris, there is a micro as well as the standard mode, that exists to help with the accuracy and continuity of IV infusions, and primarily that is why policy and procedural guidelines make infusion pumps mandatory. Also the pump infuses with positive pressure—overcoming vessel resistance. It has a lot to do with psi and stuff, but anyway, most mistakes happen because they get programmed wrong. However, I have heard horror stories of having entire liters of fluid being infused over a few minutes, so the pumps aren't infallible. When I use the infusion pump I also time my drops. It keeps me fresh on my math, and my infusion pump honest.