How To Reduce Risks Associated With IV Infusion Systems
No matter how organized your hospital may be, there is always the potential for a risky situation to occur. Before your facility experiences a performance problem with your infusion pump, try reducing risks with these essential tips.
Label everything
The best thing you can do is to label the channels of your infusion pump with the name of the fluid type or medication. For the best results, label the IV pump at the port of entry. This will prevent a clinician or nurse from administering the wrong medications and serve as an alert for the next clinician on duty.
Create a backup plan
Though a failure in your infusion pump isn’t common, it’s essential to have a backup plan in case something should go wrong.
Foremost, know how to acquire a second infusion pump should the first one fail and turning to Med One to rent your pumps is a great way to do that. This is essential for high-acuity patients that need near-constant IV infusions. Though infusion pumps usually use saline fluid in an IV consisting of .9% sodium chloride, countless other patients need specialized medications delivered directly to the bloodstream. You should always have an extra reserve of working IV infusion pumps and a backup power source nearby in the case of an emergency.
Report any problems to your hospital
Your hospital should have a reporting system in place to handle any damaged IV infusion pumps or other medical equipment. Too often, nurses and clinicians forget to remove the IV infusion pump from the room or misidentify the problem. Ask your clinicians to report all damage present on the IV infusion pump including signs of breaking, cracking, or malfunction.
Opt for a smart pump
Smart pump technology can reduce risks associated with IV fluid administration. The electric smart pump works to deliver the correct dosage and alert the clinician should any errors occur. It will also log these alerts so it does not make these mistakes.
When you want to decrease levels of risk in your hospital, rely on the Alaris Smart Pump for your IV infusion pump needs. For more information, call or visit Med One Group online at www.medonegroup.com today