Several new treatment options for chronic illnesses have received FDA approval in the last few months. Among them are two biologic agents administered intravenously for chronic refractory gout in adults (September 2010) and the other is for Lupus, a serious autoimmune disorder (March 2011). Krystexxa (pegloticase) has been approved by the FDA for patients with…
Nurses know that phlebitis is the inflammation of the vein and is considered an adverse patient outcome. Vascular access sites should be routinely assessed for signs and symptoms of phlebitis , as well as the severity of phlebitis. According to the Infusion Nurses Society(INS) Standards of Practice, a standardized scale that is valid, reliable, and…
Yes….there is an “IV Nurse Day” and I’m not making this up. 🙂 In October 1980, the professional practice of infusion nursing was formally recognized when the United States House of Representatives declared January 25 as IV Nurse Day. Courtesy of the Infusion Nurses Society, click here to view the proclamation.The first IV Nurse Day…
The FDA released this alert a few days ago: Triad Group Issues a Voluntary Nationwide Recall of All Lots of Alcohol Prep Pads, Alcohol Swabs, and Alcohol Swabsticks Due to Potential Microbial Contamination What??? Are you serious? We use these products to disinfect areas such as skin, injection ports, connectors, etc… prior to injection or…
Over the years, I’ve noticed certain terms often misused and misunderstood by nurses which can lead to false assumptions, misinterpretations and yes, confusion. Here’s some of those terms: Standards of Care Standards of Practice Policies and Procedures Practice Guidelines Protocols Often I hear these terms used interchangeably. To help clear up the confusion, let’s define…
The last day of the year and yes, 2010 went by so fast. I consider myself lucky for it was a good year f0r me professionally and an equally good year for this blog as well. Through this blog, I have met so many wonderful individuals, learned so much from them, and very grateful for…
1. It would be very difficult to get an accurate patient information. Imagine this.. Nurse: Please tell me your name? Patient: “St. Nicholas” but you call me“Santa Claus“. I am also called Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, and many other different names depending on the language. “HO! HO! HO!” Nurse: Hmm, ok, …now I will need…
In the years I have been an infusion nurse, none of my patients would volunteer to have an “IV access” started for any reason unless prescribed for the treatment their illness or to save their lives. It seems that a lot of consumers, not necessarily “patients” in the traditional definition, are seeking unconventional IV treatments.…
Are you a new grad, a seasoned nurse or a new nurse in infusion nursing? Test your knowledge by taking the Infusion 101 quiz!! Have fun! Thank you!
In the past weeks, there have several FDA alerts and recall notices related to products used in infusion therapy. Here are some of the products. Class I Recall: CareFusion Corporation, Alaris PC Units (Model 8015) Reason for Recall: Under certain wireless network conditions, a communication error can occur, which freezes the PC Unit screen. This…
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