Vanco and micro bubbles 😖…. Anyone got any tricks to running Vanco and preventing the bubbles from forming in the line? No matter how well is set the line and place the line above the pump, they still eventually form and set off the alarm. It’s the worst for NOC shift.

I never have this issue with Vanc either so I can't really help you there.

However, it may make you feel better to take the IV pump out into the parking lot, get a baseball bat and beat the ever loving fuck out it.

Assuming it's freshly out of the refrigerator, correct? It seems to have more bubbles when it's really cold, and is better when I get it to just below room temperature

Was it still pretty cold from the fridge or was it room temperature? If my vanco is still cold It messes with the pumps at my hospital, so it’ll alarm over everything. I usually have to plan to pull my vanco from the fridge ahead of time and let it come to temperature in my pocket or something, otherwise I have a similar experience. As a new grad nurse I had no idea until one of the more seniored nurses gave me the tip. I still get alarms but not nearly as many!

I use the pump to prime them. Any bubbles I pull out using a port and crimping the line.

Here is an article with tips https://thenursepathblog.wordpress.com/2016/12/11/everything-you-need-to-know-about-air-bubbles-in-your-patients-iv-line/

Is it refrigerated at your hospital? If so take it out of the fridge for a little bit before hanging it. When it’s real cold it bubbles worse I have found letting it warm to closer to room temp fixes that issue right up.

Pull your meds early and let them sit at room temp for a bit. When they're cold certain gases live in solution - as they warm up the gases precipitate out, making bubbles. You want them to do that in the bag and not in the tubing.

Hanging the line high by itself doesn't help, it's keeping the bit immediately prior to the IV pump straight to make it harder for bubbles to go in. Doesn't work great for vanco bc of the rate it runs at, it's enough for the fluid and bubbles to overcome the benefit of a straight line.

It’s the pump system. Use to have the same issue with Vanco when we had our old pumps. Constant bubbles and beeping. We switched to Plum 360 pumps in 2012 and never had an issues with Vanco since. None of the nurses I worked with ever figured out how to keep them from bubbling on the old pumps. Sorry!

I let that bad boy warm up a bit and give em a good old smacky smack before spiking to encourage bubbles to rise.

Are you spiking the med while it’s hanging? We had to reuse bags in school and would spike them upside down in our hands and that can lead to bubbles.

Let me get some downwotes, no pump no problem, but that is only for the loading dose, ER setting, we do that all the time, floor folks will be shocked from this comment 🤣