Continuing the commitment to set the standard for infusion care, the Infusion Nurses Society (INS) released the 8th edition of the Infusion Therapy Standards of practice in January 2021.

The overall format is similar to past versions with standard statements and practice recommendations (formerly practice criteria). There are 66 standards/9 sections and appendices such as the Infusion/vascular access Teams in Acute Care Facilities; Aseptic Non touch Technique (ANTT) and Catheter Associated Skin Injury Algorithm. New standards include ANTT (standard 18) and Catheter Associated Skin Injury (standard 55). Renamed standards include standard 4- Organization of Infusion and Vascular Access Services (formerly Infusion Teams); standard 32 – Pain Management for Venipuncture & Vascular Access Procedures (formerly Local Anesthesia for VAD Placement); standard 38 – Vascular Access Device Securement (formerly VAD Stabilization); standard 44 – Blood Sampling (formerly Phlebotomy) and standard 64 – Blood Administration (formerly Transfusion Therapy). With a more global approach, the revised standards incorporated perspectives from committee members and reviewers from outside the United States. Language within the standards was drafted to ensure a more global application.

Practice recommendations were rated based upon the body of evidence available and retrievable at the time of review. Modification to the strength of the body of evidence includes the elimination of “regulatory ratings” and addition of “committee consensus”.

Congratulations to Lisa Gorski, standards committee chair and the 10 international committee members for all of their hard work over the past 2 years. There’s more to the revised standards than what I have posted here. As infusion nurses, we need to read, review, and implement the revised standards in our practice. For more information on the 2021 Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice, visit the INS website, click here.