Successfully weaning the intra-aortic balloon pump patient: an algorithm

Guiding a patient safely through the process of weaning from an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) requires knowledge that goes beyond understanding the device's purpose and mechanisms. Critical care nurses are responsible for coordinating multidisciplinary care throughout the patient's IABP therapy, assessing and supporting the patient throughout the weaning process, and making determinations about the rate of--and the patient's response to--weaning. This article presents an algorithm for critical care nurses who must make decisions before and during the weaning process.