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mary ferris
psi of pumps
Is there a standard PSI setting of pumps for pediatrics 
lynncrni
No, there is no standard

No, there is no standard setting for any situation. All pumps have an occlusion pressure setting that may or may not be changeable, but this is not the pumping pressure. The pumping pressure is set below the occlusion pressure. Once the pump senses backpressure at the set level, the occlusion alarm is sounded. But there can be lots of room for fluid to escape from the vein causing severe infiltration and extravasation injury long before the pump ever produces an alarm.  Normal hydrostatic pressure in the veins of the hand and forearm is about 35 mm Hg or 0.7 psi. At the midline tip level this is about 7 mm Hg and in the SVC it is 0 mm Hg. So pumping pressure that is slightly higher may be needed for peripheral infusions than central infusions. But again, you are not altering the pumping pressure just the occlusion alarm setting. Gravity infusion pressure is about 2 psi or 100 mm Hg when the container is about 3 to 4 feet above the patient. 

Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, BC, CRNI

www.hadawayassociates.com

Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, NPD-BC, CRNI

Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.

PO Box 10

Milner, GA 30257

Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com

Office Phone 770-358-7861

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