Infusion Nursing Notes Blog | All posts by jean-mccaslin

Dos and Don’ts of Patient Education

21. April 2023 Jean McCaslin Infusion Basics, Nursing Support (0)

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]

Disease States: Primary Immune Deficiency Diseases (PIDDs)

9. September 2022 Jean McCaslin Disease States, Nursing Support (0)

There are greater than 400 forms of Primary Immune Deficiency Diseases (PIDDs) recognized by the International Union of Immunological Societies.1 These rare genetic diseases are chronic, at times debilitating, and often costly per the National Institute of Health (NIH).1 PIDDs are also known as Inborn Errors of Immunity (IEI). These can affect anyone regardless of gender, age, or ethnicity. They share a common thread; part of the immune system is missing or not functioning properly. This leads to the hallmark of increased susceptibility to infection; it could involve the sinuses, lungs, skin, ears, throat, spinal cord, brain, urinary tract or intestinal tracts. Physical exam may also identify signs of a PIDD including enlargement of lymph nodes, the liver or spleen. For some, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune symptoms or blood vessel inflammation could indicate a PIDD. [More]

Managing IVIG-Related Side Effects

5. August 2022 Jean McCaslin Infusion Basics, IVIG Essentials, Nursing Support (0)

Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIG) infusions are generally well tolerated. Most associated side effects are mild and managed with multiple approaches which may include pre-medication, clinical consultation providing education on what to expect with infusion, ongoing monitoring of infusions, and modifications to the individualized patient infusion protocol if side effects occur. [More]

Infection Control in the Home Care Setting

5. November 2021 Jean McCaslin Nursing Support (0)

Regardless of the site-of-care, infection control is a vital component of patient care. For the purposes of this blog, I will highlight infection control concerns and mitigation in the home-infusion space; specifically, those in the plasma-derived therapy sector through Nufactor. [More]

My Personal Journey from Caregiver to SCIG Patient

28. January 2021 Jean McCaslin Nursing Support (0)

I am proud to share that I have been a Registered Nurse since 1981 in a multitude of settings. For all that I have learned and continue to experience, my role as a patient has taught me the most. [More]

A Word on Neurology

5. March 2020 Jean McCaslin Disease States, Infusion Basics, IVIG Essentials, Neurology (0)

Regardless of the area of specialty any nurse is employed, we all have learned the importance of the holistic approach to patient care. We regularly assess cardiac and respiratory function through monitoring vital signs. We are trained to ask about a history of things like diabetes and high cholesterol. We adjust and adapt medications and work in concert with medical physicians to address these common medical conditions, thus improving our knowledge level in these areas. [More]

Available Resources for Patients Receiving Immune Globulin

14. June 2019 Jean McCaslin IVIG Essentials (0)

By Jean McCaslin, RN, IgCN
In addition to educational blogs, Nufactor also provides Nursing Education opportunities in the form of CEU programs (individual or group/agency) in-person, via telephone, or via Webinars. [More]

Understanding Titration: IVIG and Infliximab

25. June 2018 Jean McCaslin Infusion Basics, IVIG Essentials (0)

By Jean McCaslin, RN, IgCN
Nurses in a variety of settings follow an infusion titration (increasing or decreasing the rate of the dose) when infusing many medications. While it is understood that the use of titration is prudent particularly for first-dosing, there are no established uniform standards in the industry for infusing many medications, including intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and infliximab (brands include Remicade®, Inflectra® and Renflexis®). Titration standards may be developed by individual prescribers, hospital systems, nursing agencies, outpatient infusion centers, or specialty pharmacies, yet each may differ from the other. [More]

COVID 19 Pre-Visit Screen • Nursing Visit Guidance

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