A pump setting that differs from the home order
RN OSCE practice station

The task

You are the RN in a community nursing service. Tessa Brown, aged 61, is receiving short-term IV hydration through a community nursing service. The current pump setting appears different from the written order. Check the patient and order, calculate the intended rate and respond to the discrepancy. Complete the supplied practice record. You and the patient are in the room; assistance can be called. You have eight minutes; describe and select physical actions in this online exercise.

What this station tests

• Tessa’s written order gives 100 mL/hour, compared with the displayed 150 mL/hour.
• At 10:00 the delivered 300 mL is 100 mL above the expected 200 mL.
• Clarify remaining volume and revised stop time as well as rate before restarting.
• Explain and report the error honestly; obtain an independent pump check.

Sources for the clinical content

• ACSQHC: Management of Peripheral Intravenous Catheters Clinical Care Standard
• ACSQHC: Communicating for Safety Standard

An original practice scenario with invented patients. Not an exam question.

Practise next

• Checking a maintenance fluid prescription
• Pain and swelling at an infusion site
• New breathlessness during residential IV therapy
• A short prescribed infusion in a GP clinic
• Calculating a gravity infusion under an outreach order