One of the great things about attending an annual nursing specialty conference is learning about new technology, new information, and new training methods to acquire skills. This year at the INS Annual Meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, I had the opportunity to attend a simulation lab for IO insertion using medical cadavers. Although, I have…
These terms have always been confusing and perhaps like many other nurses, sometimes, I can’t figure out which one to use. In infusion therapy, particularly with Fluids and Electrolytes and IV solutions, these two terms certainly have important roles and understanding each term will be helpful to us. Osmolarity and Osmolality are both units of measurements.…
Inspired by the weekly #RNchat and a nurse colleague, @philbaumann, welcome to the infusionRNchat on twitter – #IVchat. The “infusionRNchat” or @IVchat or #IVchat is a global on line chat on Twitter for RN’s and other health care providers involved in the specialty practice of infusion therapy, infusion nursing and vascular access. For more information…
As with most drugs or medications, many nurses know them by their trade names only. Occasionally, we had to learn the generic names especially after the patent expires. I have been infusing biologic agents, monoclonal antibodies in particular for over 10 years now and learned that monoclonal antibodies have a standard nomenclature scheme developed by…
External infusion pumps, commonly called “infusion pumps”, including large volume, patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) , elastomeric , syringe , enteral, and insulin pumps, are used worldwide in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, and in the home. Infusion pumps have contributed to improvements in patient care, allowing for a greater level of control, accuracy, and precision in…
A common question I get asked by nurses is…..do I need to obtained an informed consent from a patient who is receiving infusions of biologic agents such as Remicade (Infliximab)? An informed consent, according to the American Medical Association (AMA), is the communication process between a patient and his or her physician that results in…
Universal precautions has been around since 1983 (then called “Blood and Body Fluid Precautions”) and as defined by CDC, are a set of precautions designed to prevent transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and other bloodborne pathogens when providing first aid or health care. Under universal precautions, blood and certain body…
I have always speculated that medication errors and near misses outside of hospitals and acute care settings have been under reported or perhaps never reported at all. Here’s a case that I was made aware involving an RN who added a medication to a 250mL bag of Sterile Water(unintentionally) and administered by infusion via a…
IV tips posted on Twitter March 2010 Infiltration: Checking for blood return or back flow of blood is good for patency but not a reliable method for assessing infiltration at IV site. If infusion continues to run when you apply digital pressure 3 inches above peripheral IV site in front of catheter tip – suspect…
Back in nursing school, we weren’t allowed to have our fingernails visible over the pads of our fingers. Even then we already knew the potential dangers of long fingernails with our nursing and patient care activities. The use of artificial acrylic fingernails has become more fashionable and so more nurses have begun wearing them even…
Infusion Nurse Blog 