Causes of Infusion Pump Malfunctions

Infusion pumps are important medical devices. These devices are used to deliver fluids into a patient’s circulatory system. Infusion pumps can deliver large and small amounts of fluids, and doctors use them to administer medication and nutrients to patients. For instance, doctors use these pumps to deliver chemotherapy drugs, hormones, pain relievers, and antibiotics to patients. You can purchase new or refurbished infusion pumps from Coast Biomedical.

Infusion pumps are grouped into two categories: stationary infusion pumps and ambulatory infusion pumps. Stationary infusion pumps are large and are placed beside a patient’s bed. Ambulatory infusion pumps are lightweight and small, and patients can use them while on the go. Patients carry an infusion pump in ambulatory pump pouches or have it clipped onto their clothing.

Infusion pumps can sometimes fail to function the way they are supposed to. This can happen due to several reasons:

Electrical or Mechanical Failures

An infusion pump can malfunction due to electrical or mechanical failures. For instance, the pump might not work because of premature battery failures or pump fires. To avoid these failures, nurses and doctors need to replace an infusion pump’s batteries after some time. You should also look for infusion pump repair services if you notice that your infusion pump is malfunctioning.

Use Interface Issues

Some nurses and doctors are unable to clearly see the information displayed on an infusion pump’s screen. An individual could have a hard time reading the on-screen user instructions. As a result, that person may accidentally give the pump improper instructions, making the pump malfunction.

Software Defects

Software defects can make infusion pumps malfunction. For instance, a pump with a software defect can activate an alarm in the absence of a problem. It can also fail to activate an alarm in the presence of a problem. Other software defects can lead to under- or over-infusion. For instance, an infusion pump with a key bounce problem can infuse fluids at a higher rate than the programmed rate.

Infusion pumps are important devices. Doctors and nurses use infusion pumps to administer fluids to patients. However, these pumps sometimes fail to function the way they are supposed to. Software defects, mechanical errors, electrical errors, and user interface issues can cause these malfunctions and should be repaired as soon as errors are detected.