Q: I am a new RN and was always told that I can use a BP cuff to distend the veins for IV starts instead of a tourniquet. Can you tell me how high should I pump the cuff? A: BP cuff is one method that can be used for vein distention while assessing veins…
Q: You will think I am a complete idiot but please explain when is a single use syringe considered used? I need to explain to my practice manager why I can’t re-use a syringe while reconstituting a powdered medication for injection. My practice manager is complaining that I am using too many syringes and needles which…
Don’t you just hate it when you stick a perfectly good vein and end up going through the vein? Can you tell when the tip of the needle and the tip of the catheter have entered the vein to know when to advance the catheter into the vein? As I always do, here’s my disclaimer…
1. The ASHP Guidelines on Home Infusion Pharmacy Services – defines the role of the pharmacist in providing home infusion care to patients and to outline minimum requirements (indicated by use of the word “shall”) and best practices for the operation and management of services provided by pharmacies in the home or alternate-site setting. Home…
It just doesn’t seem right that the national crisis with “drug shortages” would include large volume (1000mL) IV solutions we commonly administer to our patients: 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection 0.45% Sodium Chloride Injection Lactated Ringer’s Injection 5% Dextrose Injection But the reality is there is a shortage, IV saline solution, in particular is on…
These two terms defined by the Infusion Nurses Society means: Vesicant – an agent capable of causing blistering, tissue sloughing or necrosis when it escapes from the intended vascular pathway into surrounding tissue. Extravasation – the inadvertent infiltration of vesicant solution or medication into surrounding tissue. There are several chemotherapeutic agents with vesicant properties, and…
This great resource in available free to download to INS members from the INS website – SPC Checklist. SPC means short peripheral catheter, which man y of us call “peripheral IV catheter” or “PIV”. This checklist was part of the IV Safety Task Force position paper project on Recommendations for Improving Safety Practices for Short…
In June of 2013, I was honored to chair a national task force for the Infusion Nurses Society’s (INS) project on Short Peripheral Catheter Safety (SPC). Along with five other colleagues, we embarked on a task to identify the safety and practice issues and look at ways to promote safety in the insertion and management…
Q: Do you have any tips on how to improve my IV insertion skills? A: This is one of the FAQ and often comes from new blog readers. I have blogged about this many times before but I thought I’d post it again. To some of my long time readers, this may not be new…
Q: How can I be IV certified? If I attend an IV program, will I be IV certified? A: If I get a dollar every time I get asked this question, I would be a very rich infusion nurse!! But seriously, the confusion about IV certification have been in existence for as long as I…
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