IV Smart Pumps: The Impact of a Simplified User Interface on Clinical Use

Abstract

More than a decade ago, the introduction of intravenous (IV) smart pumps with drug libraries and dose error reduction systems (DERSs) provided a means for decreasing IV medication administration errors. Before IV smart pumps were available, all pump programming required the user to manually calculate the rate of infusion, then input the desired infusion rate into the pump. Because many different units of measure are used in the administration of IV medications, required calculations often are complex and therefore increase the likelihood of user error.