Nurses can decrease complications from remote use of IVSPs

To conserve personal protective equipment and reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19, some hospitals have moved intravenous (IV) infusion pumps from the bedside. Critically ill patients often require multiple IV medications to be administered using large-volume IV smart pumps (IVSPs), increasing the risk of adverse drug events and medication errors. These risks are increased when pumps are connected to patients through lengthy extension tubing. Writing in AACN Advanced Clinical Care, two nurses outline ways to reduce these risks. “With education and continued vigilance … nurses can take steps to decrease risk of flow inaccuracy and other complications to support the safest and most accurate remote IVSP medication administration practices,” the authors conclude.