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P A I N
M A N A G E M E N T
Take Advantage of
Pain Pump
Advances
F
or many providers, continuous local anesthetic infusion
pumps, or "pain pumps," have become a staple of post-op
pain management, especially for orthopedic cases and espe-
cially when they're ambulatory. These devices, however, often seem
overshadowed by flashier technology in the surgical suite, even when
they're improved to benefit your patients as well as your process. We
asked some regional anesthesia experts about pumps' latest perks.
Patient control
Any improvement in the way a pain pump dispenses its ropivacaine or
other anesthetic agent is a win for post-op patients, particularly when
it entails their interaction with their care. "Patient involvement in
post-op pain control is key," says Emily DeBusk, BS, RN, a block
nurse and PACU nurse at Baptist Health Care in Gulf Breeze, Fla., and
founder of BlockNursing.com.
The latest pumps feature variable rate regulators — oftentimes an
intuitive dial — that let patients adjust the infusion to meet their speF E B R U A R Y 2013 | O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
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