Baxa Corporation Abacus Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) Calculation Software: Class I Recall - Potential Dosing Errors

[Posted 05/25/2012]

AUDIENCE: Pharmacy, Risk Manager

ISSUE: A number of errors have been reported by Abacus software users as a result of ordering salt based parenteral nutrition ingredients on an ion based ordering template. Abacus TPN Calculation Software is designed and intended to allow the ordering of electrolytes in only one of two ways: as a salt (such as calcium gluconate 10%) or as an elemental ion (such as calcium). However, if a dosage is entered into the system based on one method, when the template is configured for the other method, a dosing error can occur.

The problem associated with mix-ups related to salt-based or ion-based ordering of electrolytes is not exclusive to calcium gluconate.

Affected catalogue numbers include:

8300-0045: Abacus Calculator Only (Abacus CE)
8300-0046: Abacus Single Work Station (Abacus SE)
8300-0047: Abacus Multi-Work Station (Abacus ME)

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