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…
I came across this interesting article on a study that shows chemo costs less in doctor’s offices. Chemotherapy Treatment in Hospitals Costs 24% more than Treatment in Physician’s Offices The study found that care for patients treated in a physician’s office is less expensive regardless of the length of the chemotherapy duration. The average chemotherapy…
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…
In the past 12 years, we have seen an increase in new monoclonal antibodies approved by the FDA for numerous indications as treatment options for cancer, neurologic disorders, immunologic, and autoimmune diseases, to name a few. These monoclonal antibodies are administered either subcutaneously, usually self administered by patients or administered intravenously by a registered nurse…
As an infusion nurse, I have given infusions to pregnant patients only for the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum. The infusions were primarily liters of IV fluids with multivitamins or a modified version of total parenteral nutrition just enough to tide them over until most patients are able to eat and sustain adequate nutrition orally. Otherwise,…
What am I talking about? I am referring to a very difficult and controversial topic in infusion therapy, the use of medical assistants (MA) in peripheral intravenous insertion and administration (infusion) of medications. Before I continue, I would like to disclose that I have nothing against medical assistants and this discussion does not include nursing …
During my training classes on biologic infusions, one of the frequently asked questions is…do you use one bag or two bags when you infuse a biologic agent? 2 bags: After an IV access is established, most nurses directly connect a primed IV tubing (usually with Normal Saline) to the IV catheter. This is considered the…
I give infusions of a biologic agent, often referred to as an TNF inhibitor to patients with immune mediated inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatis arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and plaque psoriasis. This biologic agent works by inhibiting the actions of a particular cytokine produced by the immune system called Tumor…
Infusion Nurse Blog 