Infusion devices: risks and user responsibilities

The Medical Devices Agency of the UK Department of Health continues to receive and investigate reports of incidents that arise from the use of infusion devices. In 1996, the Medical Devices Agency received some 4300 reports of incidents, over 400 of which were classified as infusion-, transfusion-, or dialysis-related. There is, however, a trend towards more active management of medical devices focusing on aspects such as purchasing, training, clinical use, and maintenance, and clearly, nursing staff have an important role in developing such policies. Also, nurses with the responsibility for setting up and overseeing infusions should be aware of some of the problems that can arise during routine use, as an awareness of potential hazards allows users to manage the risks more effectively. This article examines some of the risks associated with the use of infusion devices; in particular, problems that arise while loading the administration set or syringe into the pump, the risks of fluid free flow and syringe siphoning, and the risks from air embolism, flow rate accuracy and infusion pump pressure.