How to Select the Appropriate IV Administration Set
An intravenous (IV) administration set is a medical device used to administer fluid-based nutrition and drugs directly into the circulation of a patient for rapid results. These devices are used in a variety of therapeutic settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, and private residences, to provide nutrients and/or medications, such as insulin, hormones, antibiotics, chemotherapy treatments, and analgesics. IV administration settings enable the user to manage the pace, duration, and amount of fluid administration, decreasing the chance of errors and reassuring patients that they are getting excellent treatment.
In general, an IV set consists of:
-Long tubing
In this page, we answer some of the most often asked topics, including:
What does intravenous therapy entail?
Where may IV treatment be administered?
What are the many methods of intravenous therapy?
What are the different types of IV pumps?
And, how to pick the appropriate IV pump for your use?
What is intravenous therapy and what is its purpose?
IV refers to intravenous, and intravenous therapy includes administering liquids straight into a vein. IV infusions, often known as drips, are the fastest way to provide fluids and medications to a patient. These may include blood transfusions and drugs, as well as fluids to treat dehydration or electrolyte imbalances.
There are two forms of intravenous therapy: infusion and transfusion. Infusion refers to the introduction of an external material into the circulation, such as medicine, while transfusion refers to the introduction of the same substance from an external source, such as a blood or plasma transfusion.
There are several reasons why someone may need intravenous therapy. Sometimes, when a person is suffering from a complicated condition, they are unable to eat and cannot take oral medicine. Some drugs cannot be administered orally because the acidic digestive system will break them down before they can be absorbed by the body and used to treat the condition. In acute care conditions, therapy must be administered immediately, and IV delivery is much quicker than oral administration. Additionally, IV treatment allows patients who are unconscious to still be treated.
As the spectrum of IV pumps increased to include ambulatory pumps and lightweight pumps, IV therapy may now be administered at outpatient infusion therapy clinics or at home under the supervision of expert nurses.
When may IV therapy be administered at home?
Due to the desire to reduce healthcare expenses and technological advancements, it is now possible to get IV treatment outside of a hospital setting. Individuals who need long-term treatment will also be required to pay for costly inpatient care and will have trouble returning to work and leading a regular lifestyle.
It has long been acknowledged that a patient’s mental health has a significant effect in his or her prognosis. This is a crucial role in the development of home intravenous therapy, which offers a very cost-effective alternative to hospital care.
Before beginning home IV therapy, both the patient and their house are extensively evaluated to establish whether the patient is a suitable candidate for treatment at home. A certified physician then supervises the treatment and issues a prescription for an infusion therapy provider to fill out. Such pharmacies are licensed by the state and have acquired specialized training in the administration of IV home treatments. In addition, they must fulfill a variety of regulatory criteria outlined by state pharmacy boards and accreditation requirements. They may also provide allied treatments and services, such as enteral nutrition therapy, inhalation therapy, and care management, in addition to IV drugs. Some home infusion treatment pharmacies are autonomous, but others are linked with hospitals, home healthcare companies, and other pharmacies.
What Other Alternatives Exist for IV Therapy Outside of the Hospital?
In addition to receiving IV therapy at home, patients may be able to attend an ambulatory infusion facility. A number of home infusion therapy providers also offer an AIS (Ambulatory Infusion Suite of the home infusion therapy provider), where clinical care can be administered in accordance with a physician’s orders by RNs and registered pharmacists with specialized skills in the administration of IV therapy. This is a highly cost-effective alternative to hospital care and gives an additional option for individuals who qualify for this method.
A physician-based infusion clinic and a hospital-based infusion clinic are the other two kinds of ambulatory infusion facilities.
What are the different IV types?
Peripheral intravenous lines
These are the most widely used in the emergency room, delivery room and inpatient wards. They are also the simplest, since all they require is the mere insertion of a cannula-type catheter in order to quickly start the infusion. However, the aforementioned factors must be taken into account when deciding which of these lines to use. The cannula is usually inserted into the back of the hand, forearm or antecubital fossa, but in certain cases (babies, people with any kind of problem in their upper limbs, etc.) it is possible to opt for the veins in the foot.
One disadvantage of the peripheral intravenous lines is their limited duration, which forces us to change the point of insertion from time to time, depending on the clinical staff’s judgment. In addition, the peripheral veins are of a smaller size, which limits the volume of medication that can be administered.
Central intravenous lines
Central intravenous lines are inserted into veins of a much greater size, which allows for the infusion of greater volumes while reducing the risk of extravasation. In addition, they are much more durable. It is precisely for these reasons that they are widely used in ICUs and for cancer treatments.
What are the different forms of IV infusions?
There are three primary IV transfusion types.
Infusion might be continuous or intermittent.
This is often administered to individuals with fluid and/or electrolyte imbalances. This is in contrast to instances in which medicine is sporadically required, which would need a supplementary IV or IV push.
Secondary IV.
Primary tubing is the tube that links the bag of fluid to the patient. When a second IV is linked to this tubing, it is referred to as a secondary IV set. (Often referred to as IV piggyback.) This is preferable to the placement of numerous catheters. When administering a secondary IV drug, the main bag is kept below the secondary bag so that medication from the secondary bag may flow straight into the primary tubing without contaminating the secondary tubing. The fluid from the first bag is then used to cleanse the secondary IV of any residual.
Syringe pump IV push.
These are infusion pumps that deliver low medication volumes for medication required in small quantities. Many times these are used on babies and young children. These infusion pumps are ideal in providing medication in small amounts such as hormones, which you can deliver through a controlled motor mechanism that uses a pumping system that works like a plunger. An IV push is not appropriate for many drugs; for instance, potassium should never be administered through IV push, since the subsequent surge in potassium levels might prove lethal to the patient. IV extension sets are used for infusion pumps.
What are the many kinds of IV pumps?
Ambulatory infusion pumps
Ambulatory infusion pumps are lightweight infusion pumps often used in treating people with debilitating diseases. Sometimes patients with debilitating conditions need to move around with their medical infusions because they require medication throughout the day. Mobile and lightweight infusion pumps help such patients to be transported while still receiving their medication.
Stationary infusion pumps
Stationary pumps are larger devices most commonly found in hospital and long-term care settings. They provide IV fluids for bedridden patients experiencing severe or complex illnesses. These patients typically require frequent or continuous doses of antibiotics, nutrients, insulin, hormones, or pain medications.
There are two primary types of Stationary pumps: high-volume and low-volume. Small-volume pumps are used for hormones, such as insulin, and drugs, such as analgesics. Massive-volume pumps are meant to provide large nutritional solutions. Nonetheless, there is considerable variation within these two groupings. Some pumps are tiny enough to be portable, whilst others are bigger and designed for usage in hospitals. Additionally, there are customized IV pumps for charity and military usage.
Typically, large-volume pumps employ a form of a peristaltic pump in which computer-controlled rollers squeeze the tube to force fluids through. Alternately, some kinds use a series of fingers that push on the tube to maintain fluid movement.
Small-volume pumps, on the other hand, often have a computer-controlled motor that rotates a screw, which subsequently depresses the plunger of a syringe. Some of the tiniest electronics rely on osmosis to function. They use a bag of salt solution that absorbs water across a barrier, therefore pushing the medication out. The rate of delivery is precisely regulated by adjusting the salt content and pump capacity. Typically, a syringe is used to refuel these sorts of pumps.
What are the differences between Gravity IV Sets and Pump IV Sets?
Gravity IV set is the original and most popular kind of IV set. This type of tubing uses gravity and roller clamp or flow regulators to administer medicine or a solution to patients. A bag or bottle is suspended on a pole over the patient and filled with solution. The pressure of gravity pushes the solution through the tubing and delivers it into the patient’s bloodstream at a controlled pace.
Pump IV set is used with an infusion pump to deliver fluids, such as nutrients and medications, into a patient’s body with strict requests on accurate infusion rate and volume.
To assure the accuracy, Pump IV set always has a pump segment with either silicone tubing or special formulated PVC tubing. This pump segment should be with high delivery accuracy and long term consistency.
US CDC guidelines are now requesting 96 hours challenge for pump IV sets. But the fatigue resistance of PVC tubing in market could not meet long time usage requirement. Typical IV sets can only last for a few hours.
Some of the most popular pumps from top suppliers:
The following are some of the most popular pumps from top suppliers:
The Baxter Flogard is a volumetric infusion pump that can handle a range of fluid types at different infusion rates. It is developed with a variety of user-friendly functionalities and safety in mind. For instance, the optional side clamp guards against the risk of unintended gravity free flow, while the lockable front panel prevents tampering. It permits the insertion of additional pharmaceuticals, and the programmable delivery profile may accommodate up to 10 stages, giving complete control over the infusion’s ramping and tapering.
The fact that the Braun Vista simple IV pump has sold over 100,000 units worldwide is a tribute to its ease of use and dependability. It is equipped with all the capabilities necessary for the majority of circumstances, including continuous, piggyback, and program mode, and is intended to give constant performance for many years, with the battery lasting three years before replacement is needed. Due to its user-friendliness and availability of DEHP-free and needle-free sets for patient and clinician safety, it is suited for usage in a variety of settings, including the home.
Auto-documentation is possible with the Baxter Sigma Spectrum Infusion System, sparing up nursing staff time. The infusion data of a patient utilizing a Sigma Spectrum Infusion System will be immediately updated to their electronic medical record, ensuring that they always have access to correct information. The technology also delivers automatic wireless drug library updates that do not need personnel involvement, ensuring that the medication library is constantly current and effective. It is tiny and lightweight, making it convenient to transport, and its big print and user-friendly display make programming essential doses straightforward.
All three of the Baxter Flo-gard, Sigma Spectrum, and Braun Vista pumps are pole mounted.
Economy pump IV set customizing
Baxter, Braun, and Smiths Medical all encourage using their own brand-name tubing with their respective infusion pumps; however, you could count on BQ Plus Medical to customize pump IV sets.
BQ plus customize pump infusion sets for medication, nutrition delivery and irrigation. Patented 96 hours non-fatigue pump tubing is the unique advantage of BQ pump infusion set.
BQ+ has a patented tube technology named NF96, which allows tubing keep running 96 hours without fatigue. This DEHP free PVC tubing is made from special compound formula with unique production process.
With NF96 technology, plus 408+ self-made components, BQ+ customize sets for various pumps. The following is the 4-step process of customizing:
1. Customers provide one pump
2. Customer provide one box of current use tubing for benchmarking
3. BQ do design and performance testing with NF96 tubing
4. Samples provided for customer testing. Order places after approval.
Here is some successful cases of customized sets made by BQ Plus Medical:
