Happy New Year and hope everyone is having a great start to 2015! 2014 was a great and challenging year not only for this blog but for healthcare in general. In 2014, this blog turned five years old and I was very happy to have passed another milestone. Through this blog, I have met so…
This is an updated version of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) hazardous drugs list. So what’s new in this current update? The text for the update to the 2014 list was updated and expanded to reflect the complexity of safe handling issues that have arisen over the past few years. This…
The Infusion Nurse Blog is now “FIVE” years old!!! Happy 5 year Blog Anniversary!!! 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. Thank you so much for…
If you are a registered nurse currently working with/delegating/supervising “unlicensed healthcare personnel” (UHCP) also known as “unlicensed assistive personnel” (UAP), would you be interested in answering a short survey related to the use of unlicensed healthcare personnel in the provision of infusion therapy? The survey is open to US registered nurses from all healthcare settings who work…
Q: You will think I am a complete idiot but please explain when is a single use syringe considered used? I need to explain to my practice manager why I can’t re-use a syringe while reconstituting a powdered medication for injection. My practice manager is complaining that I am using too many syringes and needles which…
I know, this may come as a surprise to all of you, but the truth is, I have seen many nurses (even those highly trained and specialized) both in hospitals and outpatient settings, use the same alcohol swab over and over. Imagine this scenario where a nurse is ready to withdraw medication from several vials.…
“Every successful child is the product of an enthusiastic mother” Let’s celebrate the special women in our lives who had the vision, love, enthusiasm, perseverance and patience to get us to where we are now.
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…
Today is a day to recognize board certified nurses in many nursing specialties. In infusion nursing, the certification is CRNI (Certified Registered Nurse in Infusion) awarded by the Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation (INCC). In vascular access, the certification is VA-BC (Vascular Access Board Certified) awarded by the Vascular Access Certification Corporation (VACC). Congratulations to all my…
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…
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