IDDM Pt's On Insulin Pumps

[DeniseLDRN]

Hello there

I was wondering what your Hospital's STAFFING policy is on Post partum patients with IDDM, on an Insulin pump?

Patient-RN ratio for these types of patients?

Thanks

Deniseldrn:kiss

[Jolie, BSN]

Are these patients self care with regards to the pump?

I have no experience with insulin pumps, but had a mini-infusion pump for terbutaline myself, and have cared for a number of patients with the same. It was a consistent policy in the hospitals where I've had experience that the pump was the patient's to deal with. The staff nurses would call the doctor for necessary orders, but all the programming, tubing changes, etc. were the responsibility of the patient. If she was incapable of handling the pump, it was either temporarily DC'd, or the infusion company was called in to deal with it.

It is my understanding that this had to do with potential liability of hospital staff handling equipment belonging to the patient or an outside company.

[imenid37]

The few I have dealt with (I work in a very small hospital) have managed the pump themselves. During labour, they were on insulin drips and we managed their insulin and the pump was resumed postpartum. The pt's we have had w/ pumps have had them for several years and were familiar w/ them. They were pretty stable. The staffing PP was the same as our regular pt's 2-3 couplets, except for one lady who was preemie and her baby went to another facility for NICU care.