Infusion pump and method with dose-rate calculation

A method of operating an infusion pump comprising the steps of:

• (a) continuously infusing a patient with a drug over a first period of time via an infusion pump;
• (b) prompting a user of the infusion pump to input a plurality of infusion parameters into the infusion pump during said step (a) while the patient is being continuously infused with said drug, said step (b) comprising the steps of:
• (b1) first prompting the user to input a dose mode;
• and
• (b2) after said step (b1), prompting the user to input a drug dose;
• (c) calculating a drug flow rate based upon said plurality of infusion parameters input by the user during said step (b);
• and
• (d) continuously infusing the patient with said drug over a second period of time based upon said drug flow rate calculated in said step (c).

A method of operating an infusion pump comprising the steps of:

• (a) prompting a user of the infusion pump to input a plurality of infusion parameters into the infusion pump, said plurality of infusion parameters including a dose mode being selectable from a plurality of dose nodes including a first dose mode which is based upon the weight of a patient to be infused by the infusion pump and a second dose mode which is not based upon the weight of a patient to be infused by the infusion pump;
• (b) determining whether the user input said first dose mode to the infusion pump or said second dose mode to the infusion pump;
• (c) prompting the user for the weight of the patient only if the user input said first dose mode;
• (d) calculating a drug flow rate based upon said plurality of infusion parameters input by the user;
• and
• (e) continuously infusing the patient with said drug over a period of time based upon said drug flow rate calculated in said step (d).

An infusion pump for the continuous infusion of a drug from a drug source into a patient over a period of time, said infusion pump comprising:

• pump means for continuously infusing the patient with the drug over a first period of time;
• means for prompting a user of said infusion pump to input a dose mode to said infusion pump while the patient is being infused with the drug by said pump means;
• means for prompting the user to input an intended drug dose to said infusion pump while the patient is being infused with the drug by said pump means;
• means for prompting the user to input a drug amount to said infusion pump while the patient is being infused with the drug by said pump means;
• means for prompting the user to input a drug volume to said infusion pump while the patient is being infused with the drug by said pump means;
• means for determining whether the user input a dose mode requiring the body weight of the patient;
• means for prompting the user to input the body weight of the patient to said infusion pump only if the user selected a dose mode based on the body weight of the patient;
• means for determining a drug infusion rate based upon said dose mode, said drug dose, said drug amount, and said drug volume input by the user;
• means for rounding said drug infusion rate to generate a rounded drug infusion rate;
• means for calculating an actual drug dose from said rounded drug infusion rate, said actual drug dose representing the actual drug dose to be infused to the patient over a second period of time;
• and
• display means for generating a visual display of said actual drug dose to allow the user to compare said actual drug dose with said intended drug dose,
• said pumping means infusing the patient with the drug in accordance with said drug infusion rate over said second period of time.

An infusion pump, comprising:

• means for prompting a user of the infusion pump to input a plurality of infusion parameters into the infusion pump, said plurality of infusion parameters including an intended drug dose of a drug to be administered to a patient;
• means for calculating a drug flow rate based upon said plurality of infusion parameters input by the user;
• means for rounding said drug flow rate calculated by said calculation means to generate a rounded drug flow rate;
• means for calculating an actual drug dose from said rounded drug flow rate, said actual drug dose representing the actual drug dose to be infused to the patient;
• and
• means for generating a visual display of said actual drug dose to allow the user to compare said actual drug dose with said intended drug dose.

An infusion pump, comprising:

• means for continuously infusing a patient with a drug over a first period of time;
• means for prompting a user of the infusion pump to input a plurality of infusion parameters into the infusion pump while the patient is being continuously infused with said drug, said prompting means comprising:
• means for prompting the user to input a dose mode;
• and
• means for prompting the user to input a drug dose after said dose mode is input;
• means for calculating a drug flow rate based upon said plurality of infusion parameters input by the user;
• and
• means for continuously infusing the patient with said drug over a second period of time based upon said drug flow rate calculated by said calculating means.

An infusion pump, comprising:

• means for prompting a user of the infusion pump to input a plurality of infusion parameters into the infusion pump, said plurality of infusion parameters including a dose mode being selectable from a plurality of dose modes including a first dose mode which is based upon the weight of a patient to be infused by the infusion pump and a second dose mode which is not based upon the weight of a patient to be infused by the infusion pump;
• means for determining whether the user input said first dose mode to the infusion pump or said second dose mode to the infusion pump;
• means for prompting the user for the weight of the patient only if the user input said first dose mode;
• means for calculating a drug flow rate based upon said plurality of infusion parameters input by the user;
• and
• means for continuously infusing the patient with said drug over a period of time based upon said drug flow rate calculated by said calculating means.