Infusion
Nursing Notes
By Nufactor

Infusion Nursing Notes by Nufactor provides education, resources and support to promote successful patient therapy within the infusion nursing community.

Dos and Don’ts of Patient Education

One of the most anxiety-producing aspects of life is “fear of the unknown.” This is particularly true in healthcare. From relatively benign medical conditions to devastatingly critical or life-threatening illnesses, the statement “knowledge is power” should not be underestimated when developing patient treatment plans; it can be a powerful tool in establishing the levelheadedness needed for a patient to manage their illness. Patient education is often as simple as explaining a laboratory test or a minor dietary change. As nurses, we may impart knowledge in a casual or off-the-cuff manner when discussing medical issues that have become routine for us, yet not for the patient. Patient education processes are oftentimes not formalized, particularly in some private physician offices. When programs do exist, time constraints in an office setting can make it almost impossible to share crucial information from their educational programs with each and every patient. [More]

The Role of the Clinical Pharmacist

By Amy Ehlers, BS, PharmD, BCPS.

Historically, the pharmacist's role in healthcare has been limited to filling and dispensing drugs based on a prescription, and ensuring that these medications were accurately delivered to patients. Today, this is no longer true. As the healthcare system has grown and evolved, so has the role and responsibility of the pharmacist. It is now expected that "pharmacists establish relationships with patients to ensure the appropriateness of medication therapy, patients' understanding of their therapy, and to monitor the effects of that therapy." [More]

Pre-visit/Visit Preparation: Vital Tasks for a Successful Infusion

By Michelle Greer, RN, IgCN and Cindi Berry, RN, BSN.

When working in homecare, preparing to see your patient for intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) therapy can be challenging and requires a good deal of preparation. Many times, it is up to you, the registered nurse, to put together some of the information prior to seeing your patient. This information includes doctor visit notes, current orders prescribed by the doctor, specialty pharmacy orders and supplies, and knowing the type of therapy that will be administered in the home. In addition, since there are many different brands and doses of IG, you should be familiar with both of these prior to seeing your patient in the home. [More]