A method of controlling a blood pump including executing a control command to temporarily displace an impeller of the blood pump within a pump housing from a first axial position relative to the pump housing to a second axial position a distance away from the first axial position using a vector control method, and causing the impeller to move from the second axial position to a third axial position, the third axial position including a positive and a negative displacement of the impeller relative to the first axial position.