One of the FAQ I get is this…. Q: Should you or should you not clean the top of vials after you just removed the protective lid? A: Yes, clean(wipe) the vial diaphragm even if you just flipped the lid off is the answer I give. Then I get this “deer in the headlight” look.…
In response to a question from a former ER nurse who now works for a physician office providing infusion services, I came upon this guide from the CDC. The question is why should infection control practices in a physician’s office differ from those in the hospital? In particular, this nurse was appalled that the physician…
You just started a PIV in the patient’s right arm and soon after, the patient complained of sharp pain and ask that the PIV be removed. What would you do? Leave PIV in and tell patient,of course it will hurt, I just stuck you with a needle Assess the IV site and if no redness…
Scrub….don’t wipe!!! According to the 2011 CDC guidelines section on “needleless intravascular catheter systems” statement #4 : “Minimize contamination risk by scrubbing the access port with an appropriate antiseptic (chlorhexidine, povidone iodine, an iodophor, or 70% alcohol) and accessing the port only with sterile devices. Category 1A” This is an update to their 2002 guidelines…
I am back from the INS 2011 meeting in Louisville and although it was exhausting, one can’t say they didn’t learn anything, The week was packed with educational sessions that focused on may different core aspects of infusion nursing. The exhibit hall was packed with vendors and manufacturers eager to showcase their latest and greatest…
Hi y’all!! A two hour drive south on I 65 takes me to downtown Louisville, KY for the 2011 INS (Infusion Nurses Society) Annual Convention and Industrial Exhibition. I am so excited to be here and always looking forward to meeting up with old and new colleagues.The weekend session just concluded and it is going…
There are nearly 3.1 million registered nurses in the United States; 2.4 million of them are employed according to the ANA and every year, we celebrate and honor these nurses. The celebration begins on May 6, which is National Nurses Day and ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birth anniversary. Some interesting statistics about our…
I was on a 6am flight and like the rest of the passengers, l was sleeping. As the plane cruised at 30,000 feet and everyone sleeping on board, this announcement came over the PA system…“Is there a doctor on board?” Ok, even though I was just waking up, I knew what the announcement meant…someone on…
I can’t believe I totally missed it… the start of “Break Cancer” WordPress World Record to mark the beginning of National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week!!! Sadly I did…but as the saying goes…better late than never. 🙂 It’s hard to think that adolescents and young adults (AYA), ages 15 to 39, are diagnosed with cancer.…
The long awaited update to the 2002 CDC Guidelines for the Prevention of Intravascular Catheter -Related Infections was released today April 1 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC). The 2011 guidelines outline steps to eliminate bloodstream infections in patients with intravenous catheters, which…
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