Celebs have them too…

….vascular access devices, that is! Yes, just like our patients, many celebs have had a vascular access device placed to receive medical treatments. As an infusion nurse, I have made mental note of celebs who have publicly admitted they’ve had a PICC line or any other central venous access devices (sad, I know). And the…

Got Pain? There’s IV Acetaminophen for that…

Yes, if you haven’t heard yet, that over the counter acetaminophen in a bottle you have in your medicine cabinet, is now available as an intravenous infusion . IV acetaminophen (Ofirmev) is indicated  for the management of mild to moderate pain; the management of moderate to severe pain with adjunctive opioid analgesics; and the reduction of fever. It…

Poll Results: Gloves vs no gloves during vein palpation

The poll results are in: 1.  Do you think an RN should wear gloves when palpating for veins prior to venipuncture? Yes:  47 Votes    42% No:  65 Votes     58% 112 readers took the poll, and 58% said they think an RN should not wear gloves when palpating veins prior to venipuncture. 47% said they…

Vein Palpation: gloves vs no gloves – Take a poll

This is one of the frequent question I get when I am teaching a peripheral IV class. Of course, I have an answer (and opinion – no surprise there..:-) ) but before I share mine, please take this very short poll and let me know what you do or what you think.   The poll…

INS 2012: Exhibit Hall Experience

At each INS Annual Meeting, I am always looking forward to the exhibit hall. The exhibit hall was huge and to see every booths and exhibits, one needs a strategy to get through without missing any booth or presentation. My strategy is simple and that is…. to go down the numbered aisles and look around…

INS 2012: A Vegas Experience

I am back (and survived) after a long week in Vegas attending the INS 2012 annual meeting.  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. There was something for everyone who attended – from first time…

April 28 – National Take Back Day

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place on Saturday, April 28, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous 3 events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those…

IV hydration – a cure all?

As nurses and healthcare providers, we have seen the dramatic effects of infusing IV fluids to patients who are dehydrated, needing fluid replacement/supplement or those with symptoms resulting in electrolyte imbalance, and other cases when taking oral intake of foods/fluids is not enough, and the list goes on…. Now that list includes…HANGOVER! The movie? Well,…

Cheaper at the Doctor’s Office

I came across this interesting article on a study that shows chemo costs less in doctor’s offices. Chemotherapy Treatment in Hospitals Costs 24% more than Treatment in Physician’s Offices The study found that care for patients treated in a physician’s office is less expensive regardless of the length of the chemotherapy duration. The average chemotherapy…

Wouldn’t it be nice….

..if we see veins like we had X-ray vision and insert IV catheters with one stick in patients with difficult to find veins?? Well, now there are several devices that can make the “venipuncture” experience much more tolerable, improves patient satisfaction and eliminates sticking patient’s veins blindly. They are called “vein-detecting” devices that use different types of technology and…