question about Magnesium sulfate infusion

[retiredlady]

Do most nurses use an IV pump when infusing mag sulfate? or not? Ours does, but I have seen hospitals where they don't. This is on a Med/Surg floor, not OB. I was just wondering. It would seem that it would be better if they did-- not as dangerous. What would you do if it infiltrated?

[GilaRRT]

More concerned about a "runaway IV" than I am infiltration. Significant risks such as respiratory depression will result with overdose. Never a med to run on gravity without a pump and close monitoring.

Calcium chloride is the order of the day with serious overdose effects.

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

Absolutely should be used...either a volumetric or syringe pump...depends on how supplied to you....the risk here is that it must be set at the recommended rate to avoid runaway rate or infusion...... agree with the above

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Yeah, we absolutely run it on a pump.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

I have given it without a pump once when there wasn't a syringe pump to be had for love or money. I diluted it down to a 5% solution and gave it by hand over 30 minutes. I had an orientee that day and we only had the one patient, so I was able to stand at the bedside and slowly trickle it into a running compatible central infusion. Not that I'd EVER want to do that again!! We use a syringe pump on our small kids and a volumetric pump for our bigger ones. (Our patients are invariably severely fluid restricted so the smaller they are, the smaller the volume has to be...) Our policy is 0.1 mL/kg of 50% magnesium sulfate in 10 times the volume NS infused over a minimum of 30 minutes.

[LilyBlue]

Just don't push it! I was working with an RN who did that once and the patient had serious CHF and respiratory problems as a result.

[retiredlady]

Thanks, just went to a big city hospital that never used pumps except in ICU. It scared me.