Which Pumps are OK for Blood Transfusions?

[JohnW]

Does anyone know of a resource that lists which major brands of IV pumps are OK to run blood products through? I searched on the Baxter site for a while and could not find anything.

Thanks!

[miko014]

I don't know a lot about that, but I don't think it's the pump that is the problem. I know that at least some Baxter pumps can be used for blood, but it depends on the tubing that you have. If you use the wrong tubing, the pump will crush the cells. If you have the right tubing, you're good to go.

We have a version of Alaris pumps where I work, and we can run blood on them. I don't know if all Alaris pumps can do it, but I know that if you need to run it faster than 999 ml/hr then you need to do it by gravity or rapid infuser. Sorry, I don't know which version of the pumps we are using. Hope that helps!

[RN1982]

I use baxter pumps all the time when transfusing blood. I've also used alaris.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

We use Alaris by Cardinal. Whatever their newest model is called.

I have also used the Horizon by B-Braun.

[highlandlass1592, BSN, RN]

I've used Plum, Alaris and Baxter pumps all to run blood. It really depends if you have the tubing to run blood.

[whipping girl in 07, RN]

It's not the pump it's the tubing. Where I used to work we didn't have blood tubing for the pumps so we did all our blood by gravity. But I've done it with Plum and Alaris pumps.

[JohnW]

Thanks for the replies. I've always used Alaris pumps (and I know they are approved for blood). The hospital where my wife (she is also an RN) works uses Baxter pumps, they have blood tubing, but their policy is that blood can only be run through a pump if it's going through a PICC, otherwise it must run by gravity.

I think it might be an outdated policy, enforced for no good reason.