We’ve all heard it before…in healthcare, anything can happen, hence there is no guarantee. Well, that is until the press release for a new needlefree catheter patency device called “Neutron” came out on Oct. 4, 2011. Click here for the press release. Neutron, according to its manufacturer ICU Medical, is the world’s first and only…
A Class I recall has been issued for the SynchroMed II Implantable Infusion Pump, models 8637-20 and 8637-40, distributed between May 2004 and July 8, 2011 manufactured by Medtronics Inc. The SynchroMed II Pump is indicated when patient therapy requires the chronic infusion of the drugs or fluids. This infusion pump is indicated to deliver…
This is the title of an article from the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) posted by my twitter colleague @chemosabe from Australia. Design/Setting: A prospective study in a tertiary hospital to collect and analyse reusable venesection tourniquets for the presence of MROs —methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and extended-spectrum β-lactamase and metallo-β- lactamase-producing…
Time flies when you’re having fun!!! This week, the Infusion Nurse Blog is celebrating its two year blog anniversary!!! *throws confetti* As I said before and again this year, sometimes I still feel like I don’t have anything interesting to blog about. But I am very encouraged, grateful and honored because you have continued to…
Most of the comments or questions I get are from readers who are nursing colleagues. Occasionally, I get comments from readers who are infusion patients. This one comment stood out…. I go to an infusion center every two months for several years now to receive my infusions. It is a very busy infusion center and…
One of the FAQ I get is this…. Q: Should you or should you not clean the top of vials after you just removed the protective lid? A: Yes, clean(wipe) the vial diaphragm even if you just flipped the lid off is the answer I give. Then I get this “deer in the headlight” look.…
In response to a question from a former ER nurse who now works for a physician office providing infusion services, I came upon this guide from the CDC. The question is why should infection control practices in a physician’s office differ from those in the hospital? In particular, this nurse was appalled that the physician…
You just started a PIV in the patient’s right arm and soon after, the patient complained of sharp pain and ask that the PIV be removed. What would you do? Leave PIV in and tell patient,of course it will hurt, I just stuck you with a needle Assess the IV site and if no redness…
Scrub….don’t wipe!!! According to the 2011 CDC guidelines section on “needleless intravascular catheter systems” statement #4 : “Minimize contamination risk by scrubbing the access port with an appropriate antiseptic (chlorhexidine, povidone iodine, an iodophor, or 70% alcohol) and accessing the port only with sterile devices. Category 1A” This is an update to their 2002 guidelines…
As most of you would have done, you would have dissected the word and noted the “phobia” part of the term. Yes, it is a fear of something. But before I say what it is, allow me to tell you how I came upon this word. On a busy day at the infusion center, I…
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