Mechanical Pump-Assisted versus Manual Push Administration for Short-Duration Subcutaneous Infusions: A Nurses' Preference Study

Background: Subcutaneous administration of medicinal products is increasingly used in clinical practice. For short-duration administrations, manual push is a practical delivery method but requires continuous hands-on involvement by nurses. Mechanical pump-assisted administration may provide an alternative; however, evidence regarding nurses' experiences with this approach for short-duration subcutaneous infusions is limited. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey study was conducted among nurses at participating hospitals in Denmark to evaluate their experience with a non-electronic, spring-driven mechanical infusion system compared with routine manual push administration. The hospitals had independently elected to use the mechanical system in clinical practice. Following standard product training and practical use of the system, nurses completed a 12-item questionnaire assessing usability, setup time, troubleshooting, nurse-patient interaction, nurse hand discomfort, patient-reported pain as reported by nurses, and overall acceptance. Outcomes were summarized descriptively. Results: Thirty-three nurses completed the survey. Overall, 90.9% rated the mechanical system as easy or very easy to use, and 97.0% reported feeling comfortable or very comfortable operating it. Setup time was reported as the same or shorter than manual push by 90.9% of respondents. Most nurses (63.6%) reported no need to stop or pause an infusion; pump malfunction was reported as a reason for interruption by 24.2%, and 12.1% reported slowing of the infusion. Among respondents to the respective questions, 96.9% reported frequently or almost always having more time for patient interaction, 81.3% reported less hand pain or discomfort, and 73.3% indicated that patients had reported less pain with mechanical pump-assisted administration compared with manual push. Based on ease of use, 97.0% of nurses indicated that they would recommend the mechanical system to other nurses using the manual push technique, while 100% would recommend it based on increased comfort. Conclusion: Mechanical pump-assisted administration was well accepted by nurses and was associated with favorable nurse-reported experiences related to usability, patient interaction, hand comfort, and patient-reported pain compared with manual push administration. These findings suggest that a non-electronic mechanical infusion system may provide a practical alternative for short-duration subcutaneous administration. Prospective studies incorporating objective workflow measures and direct patient-reported outcomes are warranted to confirm these findings.