What it means
In nursing, a pump usually means a machine that gives IV fluids, drugs, tube feedings or patient-controlled analgesiaPAY-shunt kun-TROHLD an-ul-JEE-zhuhA way of giving pain medicine in which the client presses a button to give themselves a set dose from a programmed pump.Full entry doses at a set rate. Smart pumps have drug libraries with dose limits to help prevent errors. Other pumps include insulin pumps, breast pumps and wound vacuum pumps. The heart is often described as a pump, and its pumping strength is part of cardiac outputKAR-dee-ak OWT-putThe amount of blood the heart pumps out in one minute.Full entry .
For the nurse
Check the order, the drug, the rate and the line at the start of each shift and at every bag change. Use the drug library, and never override a pump alarm or limit without checking why it went off.
At a glance
| Spanish | bomba |
|---|---|
| Also written | pumps |
Related terms
IV
Intravenous: into a vein, or the tube placed in a vein to give fluids and drugs.
infusion
The slow delivery of a fluid or drug into the body, usually into a vein, over a period of time.
cardiac output
The amount of blood the heart pumps out in one minute.
patient-controlled analgesia
A way of giving pain medicine in which the client presses a button to give themselves a set dose from a programmed pump.