Shift Labs DripAssist 1.0 Owner’s Manual
9. Understanding the DripAssist screen information.
Drop Factor:
Every clinic and hospital purchases tubing/giving sets that are
marked with a “drop factor” which refers to how much fluid is in each
drop. The size of the needle in the set determines the size of the
drop. There are four tubing set sizes: 10, 15, 20, and 60. Your
country or clinic may use only one or two of those, but the DripAssist
is designed to work globally, so it can accommodate any of those
sizes.
Units:
You can show the Flow Rate in either mL/h (milliliters per hour) or
d/m (drops per minute) based on how prescriptions in your clinic are
written. The DripAssist will also show you the total volume that has
been delivered from when the device was turned on until now. Keep
in mind, however, that the volume shown is only a measure of the
volume delivered since the last time the device was turned on.
Drip Indicator:
Although drops from a bag appear to fall at a constant rate, there is
variation in the flow that is undetectable by the human eye but readable by computer. The DripAssist includes a Drip Indicator on the
screen that flashes every time the device senses a drop. If you think the Flow Rate number is varying inaccurately, check the Drip Indicator
to ensure the device is measuring each drop that falls. As long as the Drip Indicator is flashing with each drop, you can be confident the
computer in the device is measuring the flow rate accurately, even if the numbers on the screen change. If the Drip Indicator is not flashing
but you can see drops, check to ensure the DripAssist is correctly positioned. Check the Troubleshooting section in this manual.
Alarm:
The DripAssist calculates flow rates, and monitors change in those rates. The alarm is optional.
Flow Rate:
You must set the flow rate manually when you use the DripAssist. The DripAssist does not control the rate of flow. If you can see drops in
the chamber, so can the DripAssist. If you have a high flow rate so that it is a steady stream of fluid, the DripAssist will not be able to
measure the rate. The Flow Rate screen will show a Rate Hi when the flow rate exceeds 999 mL/hr.
