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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshoots occlusion alarms caused by clamped tubing, kinked administration sets, cassette installation, accessories, positioning, or a suspected pump malfunction.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect the Patient and Maintain Therapy
If the pump is actively supporting a patient, do not perform extended troubleshooting while the patient depends on unreliable infusion delivery.
Move therapy to another verified infusion device when interruption or inaccurate delivery could affect patient care. Follow clinical policy for medication management and line handling.
Expected outcome: Patient therapy is safely maintained before technical troubleshooting begins.
2. Confirm the Exact Reported Condition
Ask clinical staff whether the alarm was identified as upstream, downstream, or simply an occlusion condition and whether it occurred continuously or intermittently.
Record when it occurred, what disposable set or cassette was installed, and whether repositioning the patient or tubing temporarily cleared it.
Expected outcome: The reported condition and circumstances are clearly established.
3. Inspect the Entire External Fluid Path
With the device removed from patient use as appropriate, inspect the tubing from the source through the pump and toward the patient connection.
Look for:
- Closed clamps
- Kinked or pinched tubing
- Tubing caught under equipment or furniture
- Tight bends near connectors
- Collapsed tubing
- Mispositioned accessories
- Visible contamination or damage
Do not force fluid through a questionable line.
Expected outcome: The external fluid path is open, correctly routed, and undamaged. If correcting an obvious restriction eliminates the alarm during verification, troubleshooting can stop after return-to-service testing.
4. Inspect the Cassette or Administration Set Installation
Inspect the disposable cassette or set for damage, deformation, contamination, incorrect seating, or signs that it is not fully engaged with the pump.
Remove and reinstall the disposable according to approved device procedures. Do not modify the disposable or pump mechanism.
Expected outcome: The cassette or set is correctly installed and securely engaged.
5. Substitute a Known-Good Disposable When Appropriate
If the alarm persists and the disposable is suspect, test the pump with a compatible known-good set or cassette following facility and manufacturer procedures.
Do not reuse contaminated patient disposables for bench testing.
Expected outcome: A known-good disposable operates without an inappropriate occlusion alarm. If the alarm follows the original disposable, replace that disposable and stop troubleshooting after verification.
6. Check Positioning and External Pressure
Verify that the tubing is not being compressed by the pump case, carry pouch, locking mechanism, bed rail, transport equipment, or other external objects.
Reproduce normal operating orientation during testing.
Expected outcome: Normal positioning does not create an occlusion condition.
7. Perform a Controlled Functional Test
Using appropriate test equipment and approved procedures, operate the pump through a representative delivery cycle.
Observe whether an occlusion alarm occurs despite an unobstructed known-good external fluid path.
Do not bypass alarms or alter protected service parameters.
Expected outcome: The pump delivers normally without an inappropriate occlusion alarm.
8. Determine Whether the Pump Can Return to Service
If the pump operates normally with a known-good disposable and unobstructed fluid path, complete the required functional and safety verification before returning it to service.
If unexplained occlusion alarms continue, remove the pump from service.
Expected outcome: The pump either passes final verification or is clearly identified for escalation.
If the Problem Persists
If external tubing restrictions, disposable installation, accessories, and positioning have been ruled out, the problem may involve the pumping mechanism, occlusion-detection system, mechanical alignment, configuration, or another service-level condition.
The device should be:
- Removed from service
- Labeled Out of Service
- Sent for repair or bench evaluation
- Evaluated using appropriate manufacturer documentation and approved test equipment
- Repaired or configured only by qualified personnel
After repair, complete applicable operational, alarm, delivery, and safety testing before returning the pump to clinical use.
Knowing when to stop external troubleshooting rather than guessing at an internal failure is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Maintain the prescribed infusion using another verified pump before troubleshooting an occlusion alarm that cannot be immediately traced to the external fluid path.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Nursing reported repeated occlusion alarms during infusion despite restarting the pump."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found the administration tubing pinched beneath the carrying pouch and confirmed the pump operated normally with the line correctly routed."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Tubing was repositioned, the pump was functionally tested with an unobstructed fluid path, and no further occlusion alarms occurred."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Exact alarm wording
- Whether the condition appeared upstream or downstream
- Medication or therapy status when reported
- Tubing and clamp condition
- Cassette or administration set condition
- Known-good disposable substitution
- Patient or pump positioning
- Whether the alarm was intermittent
- Functional test result
- Final device status
Final Thought
Protect the patient first, then verify the external fluid path, disposable installation, positioning, and pump operation before assuming an internal defect. Escalate persistent unexplained alarms and document the complaint, verified cause, corrective action, and final test result clearly.
That is successful troubleshooting.