In case you missed it, here’s a summary of IV tips posted on Twitter in February. Central Venous Catheters (CVC): All CVC should produce a free flowing brisk blood return upon aspiration without having the patient do shoulder/arm movements. o It is not acceptable if patients have to do shoulder and/or arm movements in order…
At some point within the last 5 years, I am certain that all of us received some sort of training on how to prevent or reduce the incidence of catheter related blood stream infections (CR-BSI) associated with CVC. One of the things we’ve learned is in addition to the catheter hub, components of the IV…
This week, I posted on Twitter an article I saw in the American Nurse Today about “Calculating IV drip rates with confidence”. For an infusion nurse, calculations of drip rates and drug concentration is a given with the nature of my job. I didn’t realize that some nurses don’t calculate rates or don’t even know…
RED is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love. Today, many are wearing RED to celebrate Valentine’s day or some may be wearing RED to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, the year of the Tiger. RED in…
An FDA press release stated that Acacia Inc. voluntarily executed a product recall of certain lots of IV Extension Sets with BD Q-Syte™ Luer Access Device. The BD Q-Syte™ Luer Access Device is a Needleless Valve manufactured by BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company). The IV Extension Set with BD Q-Syte™ Luer Access device is intended…
As an infusion nurse, I have given infusions to pregnant patients only for the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum. The infusions were primarily liters of IV fluids with multivitamins or a modified version of total parenteral nutrition just enough to tide them over until most patients are able to eat and sustain adequate nutrition orally. Otherwise,…
…what does this really mean? What about “discard after single use”? There are long lists of medical devices that are labeled with this statement. What I am referring to is the statement printed on the packaging of disposable syringes or on the syringe itself. Ok, I know what you are thinking. Isn’t it a given…
In case you missed it, here’s a summary of the IV tips I posted on Twitter in January. Lucky Tourniquet: Do you know some nurses won’t get rid of their “lucky tourniquet” for fear they can’t start an IV without it? Single use only please.. • Unless cleaned in between patient use, IV tourniquet should…
The FDA has issued a Class 1 recall of 2 million huber needles because of a coring problem resulting from defect in the manufacturing and design process. The huber needles are manufactured by Nipro Medical Corporation and distributed by Exelint International Corporation. The FDA advises healthcare professionals to take the following precautions when using any…
Recognition of professional practice or specialty may come in many different ways. In 1980, the professional practice of infusion nursing was formally recognized when the United States House of Representatives declared January 25 as IV Nurse Day. This recognition was the beginning of what the infusion specialty has become. Specialization marks the advancement of nursing…
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