Administering fluids and continuous infusions

You can administer and manage fluids and continuous infusions from the MAR Medicines Administration Record. Also known as drug chart. A list of all medication prescribed and administered (given). on a desktop, or the Chart on a mobile.

Your organisation determines how fluid and infusion rate changes are prescribed and administered. For some fluids and infusions, you prescribe the rate change then administer the rate change. For other fluids and infusions, the rate change is already prescribed, so you only have to administer the rate change.

The steps for administering fluids and infusions are similar to those for administering other medications, for example, the five rights. Some actions might require a witness.

Read about administering medications

Administering fluids on a mobile

  1. From your patient list, select a patient.

  2. Select Chart.

  3. From Fluids, select a due fluid.

  4. Select Due.

  5. Prepare and start the fluid.

    • To prepare and start a fluid as separate steps, select Prepare infusion.

    • To prepare and start a fluid in a single step, select Prepare and start.

  6. Prepare the fluid.

  7. Complete the form.

  8. Select Next.

  9. Scan the medication barcode and the patient's barcode.

    If you can't scan these, select and enter a reason.

  10. Enter any notes.

  11. Select Confirm.

    If you chose to prepare and start the fluid in a single step, the fluid shows the rate.

    If not, the fluid shows Prepared.

  12. To start a prepared fluid, select the fluid again and select Start infusion.

  13. Complete the form.

  14. Select Next.

  15. Scan the medication barcode and the patient's barcode.

    If you can't scan these, select and enter a reason.

  16. Enter any notes.

  17. Select Confirm.

  1. From your patient list, select a patient.

  2. Select Chart.

  3. From Continuous Infusions, select a due infusion.

  4. Select Due.

  5. Select an option.

    • To prepare and start the infusion in separate steps, select Prepare infusion.

    • To prepare the infusion over multiple bags, then start the infusion in a separate step, select Prepare infusion over multiple bags.

    • To prepare and start the infusion in a single step, select Prepare and start.

  6. Prepare the infusion.

  7. Complete the form.

  8. Select Next.

  9. Scan the medication barcode and the patient's barcode.

    If you can't scan these, select and enter a reason.

  10. Enter any notes.

  11. Select Confirm.

    If you chose to prepare and start the infusion in a single step, the infusion shows Started.

    If not, the infusion shows Prepared.

  12. To start a prepared infusion, select the infusion again and select Start infusion.

  13. Complete the form.

  14. Select Next.

  15. Scan the medication barcode and the patient's barcode.

    If you can't scan these, select and enter a reason.

  16. Enter any notes.

  17. Select Confirm.

Follow these steps for fluids and continuous infusions.

  1. From your patient list, select a patient.

  2. Select Chart.

  3. Select a fluid or continuous infusion.

    • From Fluids, select a fluid showing In progress.

    • From Continuous Infusions, select an infusion showing In progress.

  4. Select under the cell showing the active fluid or continuous infusion.

    Active fluids and continuous infusions show a blue background.

  5. Select an option.

    • To change the rate, select Prescribe rate change.

    • To record retrospectively a syringe or bag was changed, select Confirm changed syringe / bag retrospectively.

    • To change a bag or syringe, select Change syringe/bag.

    • To pause the fluid or infusion, select Pause infusion.

      Read more about pausing a prescription

    • To resume the fluid or infusion, select Resume infusion.

      Read more about resuming a prescription

  1. From your patient list, select a patient.

  2. Select Chart.

  3. Select a fluid or continuous infusion.

    • From Fluids, select a fluid showing In progress.

    • From Continuous Infusions, select a continuous infusion showing In progress.

  4. Select under the cell showing the active or paused fluid or continuous infusion.

    Active fluids and continuous infusions show a blue background.

  5. Stop the fluid or continuous infusion.

    For fluids:

    • To stop the fluid early, select Stopped early.

    • To complete fluid administration, select Completed.

    For continuous infusions:

    • To stop the infusion, select Stop infusion.

Administering fluids on a desktop

You can view continuous infusions on the MAR from Continuous Infusions. If the prescription for a continuous infusion includes a volume, the concentration is shown on the MAR.

  1. From  Inpatients > Patient List > double-click on a patient's name > Patient Detail, select Meds.

    Prescriptions for fluids appear on the MAR Medicines Administration Record. Also known as drug chart. A list of all medication prescribed and administered (given)., under Fluids.

  2. Select a cell showing Due.

  3. Select an option.

  1. From  Inpatients > Patient List > double-click on a patient's name > Patient Detail, select Meds.

    Prescriptions for continuous infusions appear on the MAR Medicines Administration Record. Also known as drug chart. A list of all medication prescribed and administered (given)., under Continuous Infusions.

  2. Select a cell showing Due.

  3. Select an option.

  1. From  Inpatients > Patient List > double-click on a patient's name > Patient Detail, select Meds.

    Continuous infusions appear on the MAR under Continuous Infusions.

    Fluids appear on the MAR under Fluids.

  2. Select a cell showing Due.

  3. Select Prepare infusion.

  4. Complete the mandatory fields. Mandatory fields are marked .

    • For fluids, enter the volume of the bag.

    • For continuous infusions, the fields you see depend on your organisation. If needed, enter the total volume, and select a diluent.

  5. Select Confirm.

  6. Complete the administration form.

    Read more about the administration form

    The cell shows Prepared.

  7. To start the infusion, select the cell, then select Start infusion.

    Read more about starting an infusion

  1. From  Inpatients > Patient List > double-click on a patient's name > Patient Detail, select Meds.

    Continuous infusions appear on the MAR under Continuous Infusions.

    Fluids appear on the MAR under Fluids.

  2. Select a cell showing Due.

  3. Select Prepare and start.

  4. Complete the mandatory fields. Mandatory fields are marked .

    • For fluids, enter the volume of the bag.

    • For continuous infusions, the fields you see depend on your organisation. If needed, enter the dose rate, enter the total volume, and select a diluent.

  5. Select Confirm.

  6. Complete the administration form.

    Read more about the administration form

    When a variable rate infusion has been started, is shown in the administration cell.

  7. To change the rate, change the syringe or bag presently or retrospectively, pause the infusion, or stop the infusion, select and then select an option.

    Read more about making changes

  1. From  Inpatients > Patient List > double-click on a patient's name > Patient Detail, select Meds.

    Continuous infusions appear on the MAR under Continuous Infusions.

  2. Select a cell showing Due.

  3. Select Prepare infusion over multiple bags.

  4. Enter the dose in the bag.

  5. Enter the volume of the bag.

  6. Select a diluent.

  7. Select Confirm.

  8. Complete the administration form.

    Read more about the administration form

    The cell shows Prepared.

  9. To start the infusion, select the cell, then select Start infusion.

    Read more about starting an infusion

  1. From  Inpatients > Patient List > double-click on a patient's name > Patient Detail, select Meds.

    Continuous infusions appear on the MAR under Continuous Infusions.

    Fluids appear on the MAR under Fluids.

  2. Select a cell showing Prepared.

  3. Select Start infusion.

  4. For continuous infusions, enter the dose rate, and select Confirm.

  5. Complete the administration form.

    Read more about the administration form

    When a fluid or continuous infusion has been started, is shown in the administration cell.

  6. To change the rate, change the syringe or bag presently or retrospectively, pause the infusion, or stop the infusion, select and then select an option.

    Read more about making changes

  1. From  Inpatients > Patient List > double-click on a patient's name > Patient Detail, select Meds.

    Continuous infusions appear on the MAR under Continuous Infusions.

    Fluids appear on the MAR under Fluids.

  2. Find the fluid or continuous infusion you want to pause or change.

    The active fluid or continuous infusion shows as a blue cell and displays .

  3. Select under the cell showing the active fluid or infusion.

  4. Select an option.

    • To change the rate, select Prescribe rate change or Adminster rate change.

      1. Enter the new rate in mL/hr.

      2. Enter any notes.

      3. Select Submit.

      Volume and duration are not interconnected. The original duration is shown if the rate is changed. If you want to change the duration, you need to stop the current infusion and prescribe another infusion with the new duration.

    • To change a bag or syringe, select Change syringe / bag.

    • To record retrospectively a syringe or bag was changed, select Confirm changed syringe / bag retrospectively.

    • To pause the fluid or infusion, select Pause infusion.

      Read more about pausing a prescription

    • To resume the fluid or infusion, select Resume infusion.

      Read more about resuming a prescription

All fluids must be stopped manually.

  1. From  Inpatients > Patient List > double-click on a patient's name > Patient Detail, select Meds.

    Continuous infusions appear on the MAR under Continuous Infusions.

    Fluids appear on the MAR under Fluids.

  2. Find the fluid or continuous infusion you want to stop.

    The active fluid or continuous infusion shows as a blue cell and displays .

  3. Select under the cell showing the active fluid or infusion.

  4. Select an option.

    For fluids:

    • To mark a fluid as completed, select Completed.

    • If the fluid was stopped before completion, select Stopped early.

    For continuous infusions:

    • To stop the infusion, select Stop infusion.

  5. For fluids, enter the volume given.

  6. Enter the time you stopped the fluids or continuous infusion.

  7. Enter any notes.

  8. Select Submit.

    Stopped fluids and continuous infusions remain on the MAR, but can't be interacted with.