Infusion pump
An infusion pump which includes a fingerprint reader to verify that a patient or a user is authorized to activate a patient-controlled analgesic button. The fingerprint reader can be integrated into the patient-controlled analgesic button. The infusion pump delivers a dose of medication to the patient if the fingerprint of the patient or user matches a pre-loaded fingerprint.
1. An infusion pump comprising:
a housing;
a pump actuator located within the housing;
a user interface programmed to control the pump actuator; and
a patient controlled analgesic button including a fingerprint reader, the patient controlled analgesic button connected operably to the user interface via a cord, the patient controlled analgesic button and the fingerprint reader configured to selectively enable operation of the pump actuator.
2. The infusion pump of claim 1 , wherein a patient's fingerprint is pre-loaded into pump software of the user interface.
3. The infusion pump of claim 1 , wherein the fingerprint reader is configured to read a patient's thumbprint.
4. An infusion pump comprising:
a pump actuator, a user interface programmed to control the pump actuator, a patient-controlled analgesic button including a fingerprint reader, the patient controlled analgesic button connected operably to the user interface via a cord, and wherein the user interface is programmed to:
read a user's fingerprint inputted via the reader when the user activates the patient-controlled analgesic button;
compare the user's fingerprint to a pre-loaded fingerprint;
verify the user's fingerprint matches the pre-loaded fingerprint; and
cause the pump actuator to deliver a dose of medication to a patient upon verification.
5. The infusion pump of claim 4 , wherein the pre-loaded fingerprint is a thumbprint.
6. The infusion pump of claim 4 , wherein the pre-loaded fingerprint is pre-loaded into pump software of a user interface of the infusion pump.
7. The infusion pump of claim 4 , wherein the user is the patient.
8. A medical fluid delivery method comprising the steps of:
providing an infusion pump having a patient-controlled analgesic button which includes a fingerprint reader, the patient controlled analgesic button connected operably to the infusion pump via a cord;
reading a patient's fingerprint using the fingerprint reader when the patient activates the patient-controlled analgesic button;
comparing the patient's fingerprint to a pre-loaded fingerprint;
verifying the patient's fingerprint matches the pre-loaded fingerprint; and
delivering a dose of medication to the patient using the infusion pump.
9. The medical fluid delivery method of claim 8 , wherein reading the patient's fingerprint includes reading a thumbprint.
10. The method of claim 8 , which includes providing selective access to the patient-controlled analgesic button via the fingerprint reader.
11. The method of claim 8 , which includes pre-loading the patient's fingerprint into software of the infusion pump.