The celebration of IV Nurse Day every January 25 recognizes the work infusion nurses do with and for their patients. Infusion nurses are an essential part of the care team, acting to properly care for infusion needs and collaborating with other members of the health care team.

Challenges in our ever-changing healthcare system combined with new, developing technologies and complex infusion therapies, afford the opportunity for the infusion nurse to use his/her expertise in infusion therapy to provide holistic patient care,” says Marlene Steinheiser, MSN, RN, CRNI®, director of nursing education of the Infusion Nurses Society (INS), Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation.

Of the primary responsibilities of an IV nurse, acting with the patient’s health and welfare in mind is primary. Celebrated since 1980, IV Nurse Day focuses attention on this essential care. “The infusion nurse acts as an advocate for patients receiving infusion therapy, ensuring that safe, quality infusion care is delivered,” says Steinheiser. “Patient assessment, with particular attention to the patient’s vasculature and prescribed therapy, is important so that the appropriate vascular access device (VAD) is selected to accommodate the treatment plan.”

Steinheiser also says that many infusion nurses also take on leadership roles where they provide education and guidance to other nurses while also continually monitoring for complications and setting in motion effective interventions when needed.

Student nurses interested in the career will find infusion nurses are not limited to specific settings. “Infusion nurses’ roles may vary depending upon the practice setting,” Steinheiser says. “Infusion nurses work in many settings, agencies, and organizations including, but not limited to, hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory infusion clinicals, physician offices, and patient homes.”

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According to Steinheiser, expert infusion nurses can help reduce complications by sharing their knowledge and educating patients, family members, and other healthcare team members and always assessing the patient. “Skilled VAD insertion, prevention of complications and early identification coupled with implementation of interventions, minimizes further damage that can result from infusion-related complications,” she says.

Like any nursing career, this branch of nursing requires continual education to stay current with best evidence-based practices that help prevent, reduce, and treat any complications or challenges. “Due to the invasive nature of infusion therapy, infusion nurses can encounter possible adverse events with any infusion, such as extravasation, catheter malposition, nerve damage, or infection,” Steinheiser says. “The infusion nurse is prepared with advanced knowledge and continuing education to promptly address these situations.”

The INS is an excellent resource for current and future infusion nurses. The organization offers free educational podcasts (available to members and nonmembers) where nurses can learn about and refresh their skills for safe infusion practices. And the learning center provides both virtual education and recorded educational sessions from prior conferences and webinars, and what Steinheiser calls a key resource for infusion nurses, the Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice.

As with other nursing practices, nurses with the desire to specialize in infusion therapy may study and take the certification exam offered twice a year, says Steinheiser. “To assist the nurse in preparing for this exam, INS has study material which covers the eight core components of infusion nursing,” she says. “Once nurses pass this exam, they are considered infusion nurse specialists and can begin using the credential CRNI®. The CRNI® is capable of an expanded role in directing evidence-based clinical practice, research, and quality improvement activities.”

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Infusion nurses care for all patients, providing care that helps many other healthcare processes go more smoothly. “Infusion nurses provide for all patient populations, from the neonate to the elderly patient, and follow them along the continuum of care,” says Steinheiser. “Infusion nurses use their critical thinking skills, perform advanced procedures using state-of-the-art technology, and ensure safe infusion care.”

Julia Quinn-Szcesuil
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