EBME Forums Forums Maintenance Technical Assistance Graseby 3300...

Hi ya everyone...

I was wondering whether anyone else had noticed...that even when the cover on the Graseby 3300 is locked down...it only takes a little applied pressure in the right place to open it anyway!!

As far as I can see, this is not a very smart characteristic for a PCA pump for which there are very good reasons for having the cover locked down...we have not tested the security of the cover before and only discovered this by accident when were able to open the cover whilst the pump was operating. We thought that it was just a fault with the offending pump, but have since realised that it appears they are all prone to being compromised in this way...

Any thoughts anyone...

Cheers,
Dani.

Is this still a problem with the new (modified) clamp arms and the strengthened transparent covers fitted?

Ironically this problem appears to have been introduced by the new clamp arms and strengthened transparent covers. They have prevented the cover from cracking where the locking mechanism connects but in doing this you seem able to open the cover without damaging it or the lock at all...

Graseby seem to be happy that the pump will alarm if opened and so there is no real problem. But it doesn't take a genius to work out where the alarm silence button is...

Graseby have logged our concerns as a complaint...

Dani.

The users or patients just tend to break the covers off to get at the syringes fitted to the 3300s used in this hospital. This has always seems to have been a problem with this model wherever I've worked.

I would just like to add to my original post...that Graseby actually say that the pump alarms when opened by force, but in fact it does NOT.

You can open the 3300, change rate, give bolus etc without any alarm whatsoever!!!

How can this be acceptable???

Dani
Have you informed the MHRA of your concerns?
I think you should.
Robert

I definitely think that is my next step!! Just wondered whether anyone else had noticed!!!! It seemed so incredulous that you could open and interfere with a PCA pump so easily!!

At the point when the syringe is removed the pump or the plunger clamp and tube is tampered with the 3300 will actually alarm. Otherwise, when the cover is opened, the pump operation is suspended (there is no alarm but this is normal operation).

I guess that access to the syringe is what is important to whoever opens the cover - so if the syringe is tampered with there will be an audible and visual alarm produced. That is unless the infusion is stopped after the cover is forced open (1 keypress and a confirmation keypress I think).

Either way this would be unauthorised tampering beyond the control of the manufacturer in my opinion. It's the control of the drug that is important - the pump does actually alarm if the syringe is tampered with while it's pumping - the cover makes unathorised access more difficult that's all (most manufacturers covers are perspex and can be broken open with relatively little effort).

How do you find a balance between precaution against tampering and locking and throwing the key away. Many times I have received a 3300 for repair with the transparent cover still locked but cracked and no syringe present. When asking the relevant department for their comment I received ' We could not find a key'. Training/General Ethics is required in this issue I think. This precaution is deemed acceptable by the manufacturers, who must have risk assessed the situation and put down tampering as malicious irrisponsibility.

The need for a cover comes from the US where people were known to go in to hospitals and steal syringes of morphine from pumps. As the manufacturers do not want to make two versions of a pump, PCA pumps have covers in the UK. Whether we need them or not we are stuck with them.

If the nurses cannot find their keys to their car do they smash a window? I think not, so why treat medical equipment like that?

Malicious damage to Trust property is surely a disciplinable offence. Report the offenders to their seniors.

Robert