Infusion (IV) nurses form a crucial part of every healthcare team. IV Nurses Day is celebrated every January 25 to recognize the work IV nurses do each day and also to thank them for their advocacy and devotion to the lifelong learning that is so crucial in their specialty.

The Infusion Nurses Society (INS) is celebrating its 50th year as the professional organization devoted to nurses in this specialty. As an international nonprofit, INS helps nurses across the globe who want to learn more about infusion nursing, advocate for nurses in the field, and find ways to improve and share their skills and knowledge.

IV nurses perform at a fast-paced level providing the infusion work that many patients require as they undergo tests, procedures, or therapies requiring any kind of infusion through intravenous access. IV nurses are a primary resource for the start-to-finish process of administering  medications and transfusions through an IV line or port. They follow meticulous procedures to prevent infections and also help their patients understand the importance of caring for the area, particularly if a line remains in place.

IV nurses work with patients of all ages and may choose to focus their eventual work with one particular age group. They may choose to work in a children’s hospital, for example, or primarily with older populations in nursing homes. Depending on the work environment, IV nurses may see different patients throughout the day or they may begin to form lasting relationships with patients they see for long-term care or for routine care of chronic illnesses and conditions. Nurses in this specialty can work in their choice of settings including medical offices, infusion centers, patient homes, hospitals, and mobile centers. This opportunity for variety or stability means that nurses are able to focus their career on the path that most suits their goals, aspirations, and lifestyle.

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Patience is a particular skill of infusion nurses. They are often working quickly and sometimes with patients who are fearful or upset by the IV process (children and adults alike). As they are working, they also must be reassuring and calm to help patients manage the process. IV nurses are exceptionally accomplished at finding access quickly and with as little discomfort to the patients as possible. They need to be able to reinsert lines that have come out and to monitor the medications, fluids, or products that are being used in the infusion process.

IV nurses will continue to provide the best care possible by obtaining a certified registered nurse infusion (CRNI) credential. With certification, nurses gain additional knowledge and skills needed to provide high-quality, evidence-based care in an industry that continues to see rapid changes in technology.

Certification also signals to patients, peers, and industry leaders that nurses are committed to the best IV care and to obtaining current information. As an IV nurse, being linked into professional organizations, such as INS, builds connections with nurses who are equally committed to the career path. It’s a great way to be inspired by the work of peers and to inspire others with your own work.

Julia Quinn-Szcesuil
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