Do you flush and lock….

…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…

INS 2011: Exhibit Hall Experience

I am back from the INS 2011 meeting in Louisville  and  although it was exhausting, one can’t say they didn’t learn anything, The week was packed with educational sessions that focused on may different core aspects of infusion nursing. The exhibit hall was packed with vendors and manufacturers eager to showcase their latest and greatest…

Bridges to Global Alliance: 2011 INS Annual Convention – Louisville

Hi y’all!! A two hour drive south on I 65 takes me to downtown Louisville, KY for the 2011 INS (Infusion Nurses Society) Annual Convention and Industrial Exhibition. I am so excited to be here and always looking forward to meeting up with old and new colleagues.The weekend session just concluded and it is going…

May 6-12 National Nurses Week…

There are nearly 3.1 million registered nurses in the United States; 2.4 million of them are employed according to the ANA and every year, we celebrate and honor these nurses. The celebration begins on May 6, which is National Nurses Day and ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birth anniversary. Some interesting statistics about our…

March 19 National Certified Nurses Day

Are you a certified nurse? It’s a day to recognize you and other board certified nurses in many nursing specialties.  Congratulations! Certification is a profession’s official recognition of achievement, expertise, and clinical judgment. It is a mark of excellence that requires continued learning and skill development to maintain.  I have been a “CRNI” – certified registered…

New drugs….new hope!!

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…

Hello to Florence….

that is, Florence Nightingale. During a recent business trip to England, I decided to stop by London for a quick visit with friends. Certainly a lovely city to visit with all the wonderful historical attractions. Like many tourists, I boarded the tour bus with a tour guide providing live commentary. As we approached the area …

The Phlebitis Scale does mean something..

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…

Survey Results: Standards of Practice

Here are the results of the survey from a  previous post “Take our survey: Standards of Practice”. Q1  Are you aware that there is a Standard of Practice for Infusion Nursing?   n=75 Yes:  82.5%                      No:  17.65% Q2  If you are an RN, LPN or APN performing, administering, delivering IV/infusion therapy, do you think the…

Take our survey: Standards of Practice

On January 25,  national IV nurse day, the Infusion Nurses Society  (INS) announced the release of the revised 2011 Infusion Nursing Standards of Practice. This has been a long awaited document for infusion nurses and I am so happy to hear this news.  So like a child on Christmas morning, I wait in great anticipation…