Incidence and Causes of Infusion Alarms in a Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Prospective Pilot Study.

To evaluate the incidence and causes of infusion alarms in a NICU/PICU setting. We conducted a 90-day prospective analysis of event logs downloaded daily from infusion pumps (syringe and volumetric pumps). The details about conditions surrounding alarm events were described daily by bedside nurses on a standardized form. The occlusion pressure alarm was set at 300 mm Hg on each device. Forty-one pediatric patients including 12 neonates, mean weight 11.0 ± 11.3 kg (minimum-maximum, 0.48-50), were included for a total infusion time of 2164 hours. Eight hundred forty-three infusion alarms were documented (220 [26.1%] occlusion; 273 [32.4%] infusion completed; 324 [38.4%] door open/syringe disengagement; 26 [3.1%] air-in-line) resulting in an incidence of 4.7 infusion (1.2 occlusion) alarms per patient per day.Detailed conditions surrounding occlusion alarm events were documented in only 22.7% (50/220) of the cases. Of these, 36% (18/50) were related to closed or clamped lines, 4% (2/50) to syringe change, 16% (8/50) to drug injection, and 8% (4/50) to patient-related factors. The remaining 36% (18/50) occurred without any apparent external cause during ongoing infusion, among these drug incompatibilities were a potential cause for 12 events. Alarms from infusion pumps were frequent in the NICU/PICU setting, a quarter of them resulting from line occlusion. Other than well-known triggers (mechanical and patient factors), drug incompatibilities were identified as a potential cause for occlusion alarms in this pilot study.

Informations de copyright

Copyright Pediatric Pharmacy Association. All rights reserved. For permissions, email: [e-mail] 2020.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Disclosure The authors declare no conflicts or financial interest in any product or service mentioned in the manuscript, including grants, equipment, medications, employment, gifts, and honoraria. This study was supported by an unrestricted study grant from our institution as a research project on the quality of care.