Infusion pumps deliver controlled doses of medication and nutrition to patients, and can be used in hospitals or at home. They allow for targeted low doses, prolonged infusions, and patient-controlled drugs. They have safety devices and alarms to prevent malfunctions. Ambulatory pumps allow patients to move around while in use.
An infusion pump is a special pump designed to deliver controlled doses of medication and nutrition to patients. Infusion pumps are used in hospitals around the world to deliver everything from nutrition to sick patients who can’t eat to pain medication used to manage pain after surgery. They vary in cost and configuration, depending on the functionality needed, and are also available for purchase or rental by patients who need to use a pump at home.
The design of an infusion pump allows very small amounts of drug to be delivered over time through an intravenous drip. This can be used to deliver targeted low doses to patients. When a patient needs a prolonged infusion of medication, a pump is often better than a nurse or other health care provider because it moves at a slow, steady speed. The use of a pump also relieves caregivers of the need to be constantly at the patient’s bedside.
In addition to delivering a slow dose of a drug, an infusion pump can also be used to deliver drugs on a programmed schedule or to deliver patient-controlled drugs. Pain management, for example, can be achieved by giving the patient control of the pump. When the patient is in pain, a clicker can be used to introduce more drugs into the patient’s IV line through the infusion pump. The pump usually has a safety device to prevent overdosing.
When an infusion pump is connected to a patient’s intravenous line, it can be programmed with a variety of settings to control drug dosage, rate of administration, and timing. Because many pumps run very quietly, they have buzzers and alarms that go off when the pump is malfunctioning, to alert people to problems that may not be identified by ear. The pump can also sound an alarm when the patient’s IV line becomes kinked, occluding fluid flow.
While many infusion pumps are designed for bedridden or operating room patients, outpatient versions are available. An ambulatory pump allows the patient to move around while the pump is in use. This can be helpful for patients who would get frustrated with being stuck in bed, and it can help patients get some exercise by walking or stretching while in hospital, which can promote healing and overall good health. This also allows medication to be administered during patient transfers, which might be the case when a medical imaging study needs to be performed or when a patient needs to move rooms.
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