Houston Center For Infectious Diseases Nurses

The infusion nurse specialist is responsible for:

• Inserting and maintaining vascular access devices
• Evaluating and recommending drug delivery devices
• Administering IV infusion
• Obtaining and evaluating laboratory samples
• Preventing and treating infusion-related complications
• Monitoring for compliance
• Monitoring for desired outcomes of therapy
• Promoting patient self-care through education
• Assisting patients with waste management
• Evaluating the home environment for safety
• Functioning as a patient advocate
• Keeping the physician informed of patient's progress

The nurse can contribute valuable input regarding drug doses intervals and schedules, vascual access lines and delivery systems based on the patient's venous status, lifestyle, mental and physical abilities, other clinical problems, and overall treatment plan.

Nurses may achieve specialty certification in infusion therapy through the Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation, the sister organization of the Infusion Nurses Society, which has a established standards for nurses in all care settings.