Infusion Pump Course

Lesson 1 • Common Infusion Medications and Fluids

Surveys fluid types, electrolyte solutions, and high-alert medications delivered via pump. Builds pharmacological awareness needed for safe rate and dose programming.

Lesson 2 • Vascular Access Devices Overview

Identifies peripheral and central vascular access devices and their clinical uses. Connects device selection to appropriate pump configuration choices.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Intravenous Fluid Therapy

Covers fluid compartments, osmolality, and tonicity as they relate to IV therapy. Provides the physiological basis for all subsequent pump operation content.

Lesson 1 • Pump Performance Specifications

Interprets accuracy ratings, flow rate ranges, occlusion pressure limits, and alarm specifications from device labeling. Enables informed pump selection for clinical scenarios.

Lesson 2 • Core Pump Components and Mechanisms

Examines drive mechanisms, flow sensors, occlusion detectors, and user interfaces. Understanding components enables accurate troubleshooting covered in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Infusion Sets and Accessories

Covers administration set types, filters, check valves, and extension sets used with pumps. Correct accessory selection directly affects flow accuracy and patient safety.

Lesson 4 • Categories of Infusion Pumps

Distinguishes volumetric, syringe, ambulatory, and patient-controlled analgesia pumps by mechanism and use case. Frames device selection decisions made in later chapters.

Lesson 1 • Pre-Use Inspection and Safety Checks

Outlines visual inspection steps, self-test verification, and equipment readiness checks before patient connection. Prevents device-related adverse events at the point of use.

Lesson 2 • Loading Administration Sets Correctly

Demonstrates proper tubing loading into pump mechanisms for peristaltic and syringe models. Correct loading prevents free-flow, air infusion, and inaccurate delivery.

Lesson 3 • Connecting the Pump to the Patient

Covers aseptic connection technique, line labeling, and securing tubing to the access device. Proper connection prevents infection, disconnection, and medication errors.

Lesson 1 • Interpreting Infusion Orders Accurately

Teaches order verification, unit recognition, and clarification of ambiguous prescriptions. Accurate order interpretation is the first safeguard against programming errors.

Lesson 2 • Programming Volumetric Pump Parameters

Guides entry of volume to be infused, rate, and secondary infusion settings on large-volume pumps. Correct parameter entry prevents under- and over-infusion events.

Lesson 3 • Using Drug Library Profiles Safely

Demonstrates selecting the correct care area profile, drug, and concentration from the drug library. Library use reduces programming errors and enforces dose guardrails.

Lesson 4 • Programming Syringe Pump Parameters

Covers syringe size selection, concentration entry, and rate or dose-mode programming for syringe pumps. Syringe pump errors are common and often involve concentration misentry.

Lesson 1 • Routine Infusion Monitoring Practices

Establishes assessment frequency, documentation intervals, and patient observation parameters during infusion. Consistent monitoring is the primary mechanism for catching early complications.

Lesson 2 • Responding to Occlusion Alarms

Provides a stepwise troubleshooting sequence for upstream and downstream occlusion alarms. Resolving occlusions promptly prevents bolus delivery upon clearance.

Lesson 3 • Understanding Pump Alarm Categories

Classifies occlusion, air-in-line, door-open, and completion alarms by cause and urgency. Alarm literacy enables faster, safer responses and reduces alarm fatigue.

Lesson 4 • Alarm Fatigue Prevention Strategies

Addresses causes of alarm fatigue and evidence-based strategies to reduce nuisance alarms. Maintaining alarm response culture protects patients from missed critical alerts.

Lesson 1 • Infiltration and Extravasation Management

Differentiates infiltration from extravasation and outlines grading scales and treatment protocols. Early identification limits tissue damage and prevents long-term injury.

Lesson 2 • Catheter-Associated Bloodstream Infections

Explains infection pathogenesis, risk factors, and evidence-based prevention bundles for vascular access. Infection prevention is a core pump-related patient safety responsibility.

Lesson 3 • Speed Shock and Fluid Overload

Defines speed shock and fluid overload, their causes, and the pump programming errors that precipitate them. Recognizing these conditions enables immediate corrective action.

Lesson 4 • Phlebitis Recognition and Prevention

Covers mechanical, chemical, and bacterial phlebitis causes, grading, and prevention strategies. Phlebitis is the most common infusion complication and is largely preventable.

Lesson 1 • Ambulatory and Home Infusion Pumps

Addresses programming, patient education, and safety monitoring for ambulatory pump use outside the hospital. Home infusion requires patients to recognize and respond to alarms independently.

Lesson 2 • Insulin Infusion Protocol Management

Explains continuous insulin infusion programming, glucose monitoring intervals, and protocol-driven rate adjustments. Insulin is a high-alert medication requiring strict pump accuracy.

Lesson 3 • Epidural and Intrathecal Infusion Safety

Addresses epidural pump setup, dedicated tubing requirements, and prevention of wrong-route errors. Intrathecal misconnection is a catastrophic, preventable error.

Lesson 4 • Patient-Controlled Analgesia Programming

Covers PCA demand dose, lockout interval, basal rate, and four-hour limit programming parameters. PCA errors are high-risk events requiring precise setup and monitoring.

Lesson 1 • Preventive Maintenance and Biomedical Oversight

Explains scheduled maintenance intervals, biomedical inspection criteria, and out-of-service procedures. Maintenance compliance ensures device accuracy and regulatory readiness.

Lesson 2 • Drug Library Governance and Optimization

Describes the multidisciplinary process for reviewing, updating, and optimizing drug library content. An accurate, current library is the primary dose error reduction tool.

Lesson 3 • Cleaning, Disinfection, and Infection Control

Covers approved disinfectant selection, cleaning frequency, and pump surface decontamination between patients. Pump surfaces are a vector for healthcare-associated pathogen transmission.

Lesson 4 • Infusion Pump Error Analysis and Reporting

Applies root cause analysis and near-miss reporting to infusion pump errors. Systematic error analysis is the foundation of a learning safety culture.