We are evaluating the pros and cons of implementing infusion pumps with interoperability. If you have implemented this technology, please share the following:

1) What have been the pros of having interoperability of infusion pumps in your facility?

2) What are the cons or what downsides have you noticed post-implementation?

3) Has utilizing pumps with this technology increased safety in your organization?

4) What would you have done differently?

Thank you in advance for your input.

We recently implemented IV smart pumps with a provincial drug library. We have several patients on home TPN, for whom we've also ordered new pumps. I'm just wondering for any sites who use IV smart pumps with drug libraries, do you also provide a drug library for your home TPN patients, or do you have them continue to manually program their pumps volumetrically (mL/h)? We're thinking of creating a separate smaller library specific to the home TPN patients.

If administering vinca alkaloids via IV bag, is your practice to administer the medication via gravity infusion without a pump, or do you use an infusion pump and program as rapid infusion (e.g. 10 mins)?

Have you had any issues or seen disadvantages with administering as a gravity infusion without pumps?

Thank you,
Daniel

We are in the process of implementing interoperability between smart pumps and EMR. During this process we have identified that our EMR is setup to have a dual verification for chemotherapy rate changes. This is not something that was forced before but when completing the pump rate verify it ask for each rate change to be dual verified.

The standards from ONS suggest a dual verification for initial pump programming but do not go into detail regarding rate changes. APON suggest a dual verification for initial pump programming and rate changes of chemotherapy.