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…
There is a great resource available to nurses and other healthcare providers. It is the SPC insertion guide card deck. The Short Peripheral Catheter (SPC) Insertion Card Deck provides step-by-step instruction for successful venipuncture in children and adults. The deck highlights proper site selection, insertion techniques, as well as care and maintenance methods. It also…
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: A twitter colleague posted: Can you give blood through an IO? A: IO as in intraosseous access. An old concept that is now getting more attention as an alternate access for infusion therapy in emergent and non-emergent situations. IO access uses the intraosseous space that contains thousands of non-collapsible intertwined blood vessels that absorbs any fluids.…
Q: What kind of IV solutions can be given through a PICC line? Is it safe to give Humolog insulin or should I start another IV line? A: PICC is short for peripherally inserted central catheter. It is a central vascular access device (CVAD) inserted into an extremity and advanced in the venous system until…
Today, the Infusion Nurse Blog is celebrating it’s “4th year” blog anniversary!!! WOW…I can’t believe it has been four years already. I am sincerely grateful and humbled as our readers and site numbers continue to grow each year. It is my hope that you will continue to visit, read, post comments, and subscribe to my blog posts.…
Q: I know not to but reality is, many nurses use the AC (antecubital fossa) to start and dwell a peripheral IV. It is the easiest place to find a vein so why not use it? A: The antecubital fossa is in front of the elbow, bounded laterally and medially by the humeral origins of…
Infusion Nurse Blog 