Syringe Pump Problems with Fluid Flow Continuity at Low Infusion Rates Can Result in Serious Clinical Consequences: FDA Safety Communication has been issued (Aug 2016) to help those that teach, train and use and purchase syringe pumps for intravenous therapy.
A lack of flow continuity (i.e., inconsistent rate of delivery) can result in serious clinical consequences, including delay of therapy, over-infusion or under-infusion. Reports of serious adverse events such as abnormal or unstable blood pressure, anxiety from loss of sedation, and increased pain indicators in critically-ill infants have been associated with lack of flow continuity.
This alert may help those that develop training courses and may act as a ‘check-list’ of good practice.