Electric Versus Manual IV Pump: How to Save a Life
This isn’t news to you, but hospitals are amazing places that save lives every day. Hospitals seem to be adding more and more services, so they can help with almost every medical problem. When we go to the hospital we expect to get better, not worse. And that's usually how the process goes! However, one of the most common medical errors today that sets patients back has to do with intravenous (IV) drug administration. Fortunately, there is a solution.
Manual Regulation
Fluids administered through an IV pump are regulated in two different methods. The first is through manual regulation. The second is by using a smart electric pump by means of an infusion system.
The method that we see the most medical errors in is through manual IV pump regulation. According to Smith's Medical, "IV drug administration still accounts for nearly 60% of life-threatening medication errors [and] was tied to approximately 56,000 incidents of adverse medication events between 2005 and 2009."
What this study shows us is that with manual fluid regulation in IVs, devastating mistakes can be made. Nurses are human beings who sometimes make mistakes. They often have dozens of patients to look after, and it can be very difficult to keep track of every patient's needs. To help curb these errors, smart IV infusion pumps are available.
Smart Pumps
These smart electric IV pumps allow nurses to program the infusion system to perform precise regulation. These systems can deliver very small amounts of fluid, this cannot be done manually. According to the FDA, they also have the ability to deliver fluids at precisely programmed rates or automated intervals. This also cannot be done manually.
Countless numbers of people across the country rely on hospitals for health care. The majority of patients admitted to a hospital get help from an IV machine, whether it is to administer drugs or just to keep the patient hydrated. It is crucial that hospital patients are cared for correctly. Reducing medical errors by using smart IV infusion pumps provides better patient safety to help save lives. As more and more hospitals implement smart pumps in their facility we will see an overall better patient experience.