Forum topic

Air infusing to the patient is a problem, even the small champagne type bubbles can lead to problems for your patients with enough infusions over time, although many do not recognize them as an issue, and it goes far beyond nuisance alarms. Air-eliminating inline filters 0.22 micron size is the way to remove air along with other particulate matter and bacteria. Being able to turn off this specific alarm and not the others would depend upon the infusion pump being used. In home care are you using the large volumetic infusion pumps or the ambulatory infusion pumps? Ability to add a filter is dictated by the sets needed for each type of pump. the amount of air in the line varies with each type of infusion system. Then you must consider the drugs that have a molecule size too large to pass through a filter - lipid based drugs such as all Amphotericin preparations. From my experience, filters were used many years ago in the hospital, then we stopped because they were not considered to prevent infection. But that is not the only issue and we are now realizing they have other benefits. I don't think they are commonly used for all infusions in home care though. Their need and ability to add would depend upon your pumps, sets, etc. What is the level of so-called nuisance alarms among your patients? That is where I would start.