Infusion Pump: Use And Patient Care

An infusion pump is a device used by doctors to deliver a medicine into a patient’s bloodstream. Overall, there are two types of infusion pumps.

An epidural pump is a system that infuses a drug intrathecally, that is, into the spinal cord. In this way, the medicine travels to the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the spinal canal. This requires expensive equipment, which is why it is usually used only in the terminal stage of the disease or in patients with very severe pain.

The intravenous infusion pump, in turn, infuses drugs directly into the patient’s bloodstream. It is basically the same as intravenous, but it differs from this in a very interesting way. For example, it can safely infuse very small doses of medication. Another advantage is its easy programming, meaning the patient receives the medicine at just the right time.

This latter pump is arguably the most used. In this article, we will henceforth refer only to an infusion pump of this kind.

Infusion pumps allow medical personnel to easily control a variety of chemical compounds.

How does the infusion pump work?

Physicians rely on the infusion pump to administer the required drug compounds in certain clinical cases. The machine is programmed to create pressure on the patient’s intravenous line. This allows it to transfer chemicals into the patient’s bloodstream.

In principle, two types of drugs can be prescribed to patients .

On the one hand, enteral infusions (oral) can be used, on the other hand, parenteral infusions (intravenous). With pumps, drugs can be infused either continuously or intermittently.

This saves caregivers time and energy in controlling fluid transfer. Previously, the patient’s position, catheter, procedure time, and so on had to be monitored. Thanks to the infusion pump, better dosing accuracy is achieved and the patient can also move (within the recommended limits). In addition, the infusion pump reduces potential risks or complications.

In general, there are several different types of accompanying infusion pumps. They differ in volume and in the type of programming they need.

Patient care

In general, the medical team will explain to the patient how the infusion pump works. Caregivers also provide a set of recommendations that the patient should follow during treatment with this device.

Typically, the infusion pump is easy to program. The patient should consult a doctor if they have any questions. Sometimes nurses use automatic, password-protected programming to prevent potentially confused or confused patients from changing the infusion dose.

Medical personnel should also take care of the battery so that the device is always connected. In some cases, the initial dose must be given by the medical staff themselves (for example, in cases where a syringe pump is required).

The physician should also advise the patient regarding his or her lifestyle during treatment. The patient should be instructed in, among other things, personal hygiene, diet and exercise.