Q: A patient gets daily IV antibiotic infusion at home. The antibiotic is mixed in a 50mL 0.9% Sodium Chloride minibag by pharmacy. The home care nurse administers the infusion via gravity drip using a macrodrip primary tubing via the patient’s PIV lock. When the IVPB bag is completely empty, the nurse stops the infusion, disconnects…
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…
I have now confirmed my blog readers are not only healthcare providers but are ‘actual’ patients. I get questions/emails/comments from them and they made it known to me that they are watching and noticing what we do to their venous access!! LOL.. So in the spirit of sharing and learning, without revealing anything about them,…
Recently, I have had a few questions regarding implanted ports so I decided to post it here in the spirit of sharing and learning . Q: A patient asked: why is it that sometimes my nurse wears a mask to access my port and sometimes they don’t? Should they or should they not wear a…
On a regular basis, I get questions from readers and from Twitter colleagues. Here are some of the Q’s and my A’s which I thought I’d blog about it in the spirit of sharing and learning. 1. Vancomycin Q: We give Vancomycin IV on a regular basis through an IV site in the arm at…
At a recent meeting, I was asked by an RN what her liability is if she administered an approved intravenous drug for an non-labeled indication prescribed by a physician to her patient and does she have the right to refuse to give the treatment even with the patient consent? A very interesting question and one that…
here are a few FDA recalls you might want to know…. 1. Class 1 Recall for Carefusion Alaris Infusion Pump Model 8015 – read notice here The issue: FDA notified healthcare professionals of a Class I Recall of the Alaris PC unit, model 8015. A component on the PC unit power supply board is causing…
2011 went by so fast and just like most of you, I can’t believe it’s already 2012. 2011 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 their…
…those vascular access devices? Of course… all nurses who care for vascular access devices (VAD) should, right?? …. but do they ” flush and lock” or ” flush” only thinking that flushing is enough to keep the VAD patent? The 2011 Infusion Nursing standards of practice makes this distinction…. “Flushing” – the act of moving…
Infusion Nurse Blog 