fluid therapy / infusion pumps

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

Phrin Vernon RVN — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 02:09:38 GMT

I love infusion pumps!

I remember the days where cats drowned from a bag of 500ml hartmans.... so I tend to be the one who can coax, and talk nice to the pump, and have the patience to try different button combos, and then grit my teeth during the beeping, but finally get the machine to do what the hell I want it to!

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

karen2010 — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 21:00:32 GMT

i've always found if swearing at machine doesn't work - walk away, come back and using a different voice (madness i hear you all thinking!!! lol) ask the machine to play nicely! ( & work!!) tends to work a treat!!

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 09:13:46 GMT

Great, well done.. did you mention shooting the blasted beeping pump, l think thats what swung it to distinction if you did

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

Lisa Yates — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 23:52:23 GMT

wel i got my assignment back today and got a distincton grade! lol

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

paula morgan — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:33:20 GMT

I hate infusion pumps!!!!!!

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

nikki84 — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:17:09 GMT

Don't forget to check you have an infusion pump free before attaching any giving set to the drip bag or pet.
Biggest pet hate, set it all up, run it all through, bandage it all in, animal to kennel and NO INFUSION PUMP!!!!!!

The whole beeping thing is irritating. If after 3 attempts of flushing it and moving a new piece of drip line through the sensor and it still failing - I get someone else

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

Vicky RVN — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 23:05:41 GMT

Oooooh I hate it when people don't bother with the volume to be infused bit so the blooming thing stops and shouts at you because It's at end of program...when you actually have 200ml to go!

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

A-J — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 22:52:16 GMT

oooh thanks for that, will try that one as we have a particularly stubborn pump!

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

Dreamcatcher — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 22:28:46 GMT

Hehe that made me laugh! It's worse if you have to work in a practice where the other vets and nurses can't seem to pick up the soundwaves of the drip pumps!

Sometimes spraying spirit on the part of the line that feeds into the pump can satisfy a stubborn pump that there isn't any air in there after all. I'm not sure why that works though, or if it's just with our ones but it does seem to work for some reason! x

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

Vicky RVN — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 21:33:26 GMT

Haha fab explanation Caro!

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

kaz84 — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 13:02:06 GMT

LOL so true, i had a good laugh

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

Lisa Yates — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 11:45:48 GMT

Thanks for the replies :)

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 09:16:31 GMT

Nicks comment applies to the smaller pumps but on the bigger pumps l have based my explain on you dont have that there hence my comment that bigger are easier to explain

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

Nick Shackleton — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 17:40:28 GMT

Don't forget to zero the 'volume infused' figure so you can keep an eye on the amount of fluid that has been infused into the patient

Re: fluid therapy / infusion pumps

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 17:01:48 GMT

Hang bag just above machine so you have plenty of line spare to get to patient, use extension lead if need be

Make sure you have electric nearby or you will end up with a flat battery

Following based on the large fluid pumps (easier/quicker to explain than smaller ones)

Open door on infusion pump

Check no air bubbles in line or blasted pump will beep, may even beep air with no air and bloody minded ness.

Feed line down channel between rollers

Make sure the secure line button is pushed down so line can go flat under it then push to set it in place

Check line not stuck in door and close

Use top control to set rate/hr and to set volume

Make sure your line is open that all locks on line/pet set to open

Press start

Swear at machine as it beeps... check all open it is press start again.. Press start and as it beeps fail flush patients catheter to make sure not blocked... press start and at failure beep kick machine it says air as there isnt any... press start.. snarl at machine and threaten with great dump in sky if not work... Again fail press stop and go find some other mug to get it running failing that get a gun and blast it to little pieces and feel great satisfaction that for once you won a round with an infusion pump .

Some machines have a sec. start l havent used this dont know anyone who has l understand it is for second lines but wouldn't know.