Safety features of IV pumps

IV pumps are effective tool to insert medication, fluids or other nutrients to the patient’s body. If you are going to purchase IV pumps you need to take care of following terms in order to avoid inconvenience and for safety purposes such as-

1. Always use certified IV pumps. In certified IV pumps there is no chance of failure. The possibilities of silently failure of pump or improper assembling of pump is almost nil in this type of pumps. You will have error indication when it stops pumping.
2. Always check the Batteries of IV pumps for uninterrupted operation even in power failure of pump is unplugged.
3. Try to avoid using Anti-free-flow devices because these devices drain blood from the patient’s body. Some time it cannot enter in patient’s body freely at the time of infusion pump is being set up.
4. In a good IV pump “down pressure” sensor can detect if patient’s vein is blocked. It can also determine if patient is kinked. Basically this sensor is found in subcutaneous/epidural or venous IV pumps.
5. In a good IV pump an “air-in-line” detector must have. This typical detector is used to detect if air is being pumped to the paint’s body in ultrasonic transmitter/receiver. Some IV pumps are used to measure the volume of air and most of IV pumps have o.1 to 2 ml of volume of air in it. This little amount of air is not harmful but the sometimes it can interfere with the infusion of low dose medicine.
6. An “up pressure” sensor is used to check whether syringe or bag is empty or not. If bag or syringe is being squeezed it can also be detected from this sensor.
7. Most of the infusion pumps are programmed with customized drug library. You can program the limits of dosage of drugs in it. It can easily detect if certain dose of medicine will not given to the patient. In this way it helps to avoid medication errors. In large volume pumps there is mechanism used to control the drug large.
8. In lots of IV pumps you can find internal electronic log which can record thousands of therapy events. An electronic chip is attached with the clock of IV pumps which can be record time and date. Even you can erase all the data of electronic log by using security code. In this way this electronic log is the safest way to record all the data of patient.
9. Nowadays’ infusion pumps can be configured with small chips. This subset of configuration can be used while operating in order to avoid fault of untrained staff, tampering of patient and unwanted visitor.

Nowadays Patient-controlled IV pumps are on-demand. This type of IV pumps come with pre programmed ceiling in order to avoid intoxication. The rate of fluid or medication can be controlled by a pressure pad or button by the patient him/herself. This IV pumps are based on PCA or patient controlled analgesia. To purchase all type of IV pumps you can visit www.willowmed.com.

Discovering The Free Flow Administration In IV Pumps

Infusion pumps have gained a lot of popularity in the medical community lately. The medical device is available in different varieties, depending on why you need to buy IV pumps. The overall necessity dictates the right device, as well as model and size. For example, syringe pumps are very common for low rates and doses. They are also very handy for medications that need constant administration. On the other hand, longer uses ask for bigger pumps. The accuracy is also directly proportional to the duration. All in all, aside from size and accuracy, there are plenty of other factors that can help you make a wise selection.

The concept of free flow in using infusion pumps

When interested to buy IV pumps, you will usually find all kinds of sets working on a modified gravity basis. Such models are often used in general administration as well. Normally, they can provide up to 100ml of liquid within one hour only. Customizing the infusion is not a problem though. If the patient needs 50ml, 25ml or even less on an hourly basis, adjusting the valves and clamps is a piece of cake. Most of these adjustments are performed by nurses and they imply rotating a small ring.

Such helpful equipments have been implemented with the one and only purpose to prevent the risks of overdoses. While the free flow is often accepted for particular situations, there are many cases when the administration needs to be controlled. Nurses need to respect the manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations in order to come up with the right dosage. This is one of the first things to look for in a store trying to sell you infusion pumps. At the same time, nurses are advised to count the drops for a few seconds before leaving the room.

Occlusions are some of the most problematic issues arising during an infusion administration. Such occlusions can prevent the free or regulated flow. In order to prevent any accidents, the extra liquid needs to be released or directed toward the infusion reservoir. Releasing it toward the patient can cause a quick overdose with unpleasant side effects, hence the necessity to be cautious, even if it implies “interrupting” the administration for a few minutes. This is one of the simplest rules in the medical world, yet it is sometimes overlooked.

Some modern infusion pumps have small alarms that notify the nurse if there is an occlusion. Occlusions need to be handled by specific rules. First of all, you have to free the administration set, whether it is a syringe or a different type of set. It must be freed from the pump. Only then you can start clearing the end affecting the patient. In-line taps need to be stopped as well because they can force a large amount of liquid into the patient, which has the exact same effects as an overdose.

In conclusion, understanding the free flow is just one of the several concepts required for a proper infusion administration, yet it can ensure a healthy treatment.

Have The Optimal Precision In Administering Medication

If you are struggling with organizing and administering your IV drips, you might want to switch to a much better solution. While you had the drips, the entire process of administering nutrition’s or medicine was manual. It is controlled with a pack which contained the supplements, but as of recently you will be able to consider a much better solution to keeping the levels of nutrition and fluids high in your patients. You could do this by deciding to purchase infusion pumps, which would replace the manual process of supplying someone with the much necessary supplements.

Why would I need an infusion pump?

One of the greatest reasons the infusion pumps definitely have precedence over the manual technique employees to achieve the same effect, would be behind the fact that a pump can offer precision the human hand could not achieve. For example, administering some strong medication usually requires tiny doses on an hourly basis. You can instruct the infusion pump to measure out as low as 0.1 ml of any given substance and set it to supply the patient with this dosage every single hour. If you had to do that without this equipment, the chances would be very small that you would be able to measure out the exact amount specified.

What should I do before I make a decision?

If you think that you should purchase IV pumps, you should carefully examine the types and specifications of the infusion pumps offered to. Essentially, you could easily differentiate between a large volume and the small volume infusion pump. The larger volume infusion pump can administer entire meals to a patient, while the small volume ones can only work with anesthesia, sedatives or hormones. Depending on your personal needs, you might choose one of these two kinds as you make your purchase. Be sure to carefully consider exactly what you will need from the infusion pump.

Buy And Sell Your Medical Equipment And Always Stay Supplied

Buying medical supplies should be done in specialized stores which will be bound to sell you only the safest and sterilized equipment. Medical supplies nowadays include much more than your average first aid kit. You can buy patient care supplies, infection control supplies, laboratory equipment, needles, syringes, tools and sets which are going to prove useful if you are home nursing a family member. One of the useful assets of the medical equipment category would be an infusion pump. Before, you could have used the IV drips. Those packs were filled with fluid, connected to a long tube, which had a needle extension, so that the liquid from the bag would be dripping slowly and infusing the patient.

How does an infusion pump work?

An infusion pump quickens that process; by allowing you to use a digital keyboard to select the dosage of the infusion which is to be administered to a patient over time. After you have selected the correct dose, the infusion pump is going to automatically supply the patient with the appropriate medication. If you are looking for an easier way to administer infusions and manage doses more easily, a lot of medical facilities and pharmaceutical companies will be able to sell you infusion pumps

What can I do when I no longer need my pump?

If you no longer have a need for your medical equipment, there would be no reason for you to keep it in your house. If you are sure you will most likely not need it again, there are some pieces of equipment which you can easily trade for some money. So, if you don’t need an infusion pump anymore, you will be able to find someone willing to purchase it for a very good price. You can just as easily sell your IV pumps to medical facilities and organizations, as they might be able to put them to a good use.

Different Criteria To Classify Infusion Pumps By

A little research can ensure informed selections when deciding to purchase infusion pumps. The more you know about these medical devices, the easier it becomes to choose the exact model and type you require. The general purpose of such devices is to provide nutritive fluids into patients’ bodies. The respective liquids are delivered in a professional and controlled manner. Sometimes, they can be given at home, but only under the supervision of a nurse. With all these, infusion pumps are quite diversified. There are a few different models out there and each of them has its own purposes.

Fluids delivered with infusion pumps

Infusion pumps can deliver all kinds of liquids. They cannot provide semisolid or solid substances. While they can be used to deliver small amounts of liquids too, they are mostly used for long infusions. All these elements are used to support the body against a deficiency. For example, patients who are not conscious will actually be fed with infusion pumps. They are used to deliver the required nutrients for the body to function and stay on track. In other situations, the liquid might be entirely based on medications. Hormones are very commonly delivered in this manner, as well as insulin. Chemotherapy medications or antibiotics are not to be ignored either, not to mention about pain relievers. However, delivering pain relievers through an infusion pump is quite rare. The patient is usually conscious, hence the necessity to eliminate the pain.

Infusion pumps classified by flexibility

Make sure that you actually have a plan when about to purchase infusion pumps. What do you need to use them for? The actual flexibility is a very important factor. Normally, you can find stationary pumps. They are installed close to the patient’s bed. They cannot be moved, so the patient needs to stay still for as long as needed. These types of pumps are common in unconscious patients who do not need to move anyway. On the other hand, wearable and portable infusion pumps are more common for conscious individuals who need to stay still over long periods of time. Not moving for hours can be extremely stressful for a patient, especially if they can actually move and walk around. This is when you need to purchase IV pumps that actually provide some flexibility.

Infusion pumps classified by purposes

Infusion pumps can be classified according to your necessities and purposes as well, hence the necessity to research the available model and figure out what really works for you. Enteral pumps are generally used to provide nutritive and medical liquids to the digestive tract. They have nothing to do with the patient’s blood vessels. On the other hand, insulin pumps are specifically developed for diabetics. They are often used at home, but the patient needs to go through a short training course. Analgesia pumps are very common too. They deliver pain relievers. Some models are self controlled by patients, but users need to be very careful regarding the doses. In conclusion, not all the pumps go intravenously.

RoHS Enforcement

EU RoHS Enforcement Guidance Document, V.1; EU RoHS Enforcement Authorities Informal Network; May 2006