Infusion Pump Procedure: How Do You Set Up An Infusion Pump?

Competence in using infusion pumps is a crucial requirement for any clinician administering infusion therapy. After all, medication administration errors can be a costly occurrence in healthcare facilities.

Infusion pumps reduce IV infusion errors. But, to achieve their aim, clinicians must have precise knowledge and skills on how to use IV pumps. That includes knowing how to set up an IV pump to deliver treatment effectively while ensuring patient safety.

This article is a step-by-step infusion pump procedure guide that any clinician can use to quickly learn how to set up an infusion pump.

You can do pump preparation outside the patient’s room and then roll it to the bedside.

Once you have confirmed that all the previous steps of the IV pump setup are correct and everything is in order:

Alarms can go off during the programming stage if the information fed to the pump indicates an over or under dose or if you have not completed the programming procedure.

Alarms also go off during the infusion process in case of dosage errors, IV tubing blockage, low battery, and other related problems.

While most models have audio alarms, others like the Autoinfu have both an audio and visual alarm, so you never miss it.

If an alarm is activated, the most likely thing you will do is ask, “How do I stop my IV pump from beeping? However, the patient’s wellbeing should be prioritized so here’s what to do:

When the Infusion delivery is complete, follow manufacturer instructions to:

Correct infusion pump procedure is paramount to ensuring proper medical care, treatment, and patient safety.

Knowing how to set up an infusion pump is the responsibility of individual clinicians. However, the healthcare facility management must ensure proper training for Infusion pump setup.

Following this Infusion pump procedure guide will help you guarantee accurate IV fluid or medication administration to your patients.

Remember to always consult with a doctor when in doubt about any aspect of the IV pump setup and use. Infusion pump errors can be dire, and you should always avoid them.