Forum topic

From my perspective, the infusion team means:

1. Deals with infusion therapy

2. Works in hospital clinic or homehealth

3. Can deal with all kinds of vascular access

4. Do not generally put in piccs

5. Do PIV, but generally infuse more through long-term devices ie ports, piccs, etc

The IV team:

1. Is more general a term than "infusion team"

2. Is typically in a hospital

3. Does vascular access

4. Does infusion

5. Often does picc insertion,  resource for difficult  PIV

6. Is a go-to resource for the hospital and sometimes the community

7. Does infusions in some settings

Hope this helps. Thank you!

A goup consisting of two or more of Registered Nurses who:

                                                                                                           BASIC

1) Are highly skilled and experienced in placing PIV's in vascularly challenging patients/residents of all age groups in a variety of settings and situations quickly and atraumatically w/o necessarily the benefit of ultrasound.

2) Possess excellent vascular/venous assessment skills, able to differentiate between viable and non-viable veins, able to determine the "quality" of venous vasculature, and are familiar with conditions, diagnoses, and medications that can influence the vasculature.

3) Are able to select/suggest the most appropriate type of VAD for the infusion therapy orered based not only on that assessment, but on the assessment of the patient/resident as a whole.

4) Are fluent in the INS standards of care.

5)Able to access and troubleshoot a wide variety of VAD's.

5) Titled as "IV Therapy" Nurses (wether full or part time) whose primary responsibility is vascular access.

6) Possess excellent communication skills not only with patents/residents, but Clinicians and ancillary staff as well.

7) Are professionals.

                                                                                                          ADVANCED

A group of two or more Registered Nurses and/or one or more Interventionali Radiologists who in addition to the above responsibilities & skills:

1) Are trained in, and highly proficient at, ultrasound guided placement techniques for PICC lines, midlines, and PIV's.

2) High degree of success in placing the tip of the Picc line in the proper position on the first attempt.

3) Have advanced knowledge related to VAD's.

4) Are usually CRNI.

5) Are highly knowlegable in all aspects of infusion therapy.

6) Are strongly represented & are able to influence policy to the benefit of the patent and institution.

7) Last name ends in "HADAWAY" (LOL!)

Thats just what comes to mind when I hear the term "IV Therapy"

I agree with IV Guy, in addition: The IV team is knowledgeable in the application of process improvement, supports the IHI model for improvement. Is able to monitor (data) and interpret effectiveness of process improvement measures. The IV Team is also viewed as a resource not only in the clinical/technical aspects of care delivery, but has the ability to influence change, promote a culture of patient safety and is acknowledged as a contributor to the financial components of patient care through cost avoidance and/or revenue generation.

Turena Reeves RN

At the hospital, I do think of it in the traditional sense, as the group of nurses who insert the IVs and care for the central lines, provide training for staff nurses to perform these tasks, evaluate infusion products, keep statistics.

I do have another concept.  I work for a home infusion company.  I consider our "infusion team" as all our nurses and pharmacists.  We collaborate on coordinating care for all our patients.  Our pharmacists are wonderful, they are our resource for pH, osmolarity issues, compatability issues, but they don't understand the mechanics of how to get the infusions done safely, and the capabilities of the patients and caregivers who will have to learn the infusions.  So it is a nice partnership. 

Laurie Brann, RN, BSN, Nurse Manager, Anthem Health Services