An infusion IV Pump for Medical Use draws fluids and drugs from a reservoir, control the rate of delivery, and delivers a precise dose to the patient. These devices are typically used in critical care, pain management, and perioperative medicine. Unlike traditional IV fluid bags, large volume pumps offer high programming capacity for complicated medication doses and rates of fluid delivery. Smart infusion pumps can have built-in software features, such as drug libraries and Dose Error Reduction Systems (DERS) that can reduce medication errors. Unfortunately, smart pumps also report a significant number of adverse events related to device malfunction, user error, and improper drug selection.
Choosing the Right Infusion IV Pump for Medical Use
Typical users of infusion pumps are registered nurses, anesthesia providers, and other health care professionals. They are predominately female, 46 years old on average, and have a bachelor’s or associate degree (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). They are typically able to read and speak fluent English and have normal or corrected vision and hearing. Most have no known physical or dexterity problems or cognitive deficits that would affect their ability to use the pump.
A key feature of many pumps is an “air-in-line” detector that detects small air bubbles in the tubing that may lead to a harmful air embolism. This detector prevents the infusion of the air by stopping the pump’s flow and annunciating an alarm. It also eliminates the need to manually clear the air, a multistep process that interrupts fluid delivery and could delay the infusion of life-saving medications.