‘Smart’ IV pumps saves lives

According to a new study, intravenous (IV) infusion devices pre-programmed with safety alerts could save hundreds of lives each year, but they are often unavailable or the software is overridden.

University of Manchester pharmacy researchers reviewed data from two large NHS trusts equipped with smart IV pumps in the first study of its kind in English hospitals, and found that by alerting staff to potentially dangerous drug dose errors, the devices may have prevented 110 deaths over the course of one year.