What Does A Home IV Therapy Nurse Do?

Home IV therapy nurses provide medical and				doctor when needed, and document the
nursing care for patients in their own homes.				treatment plan that has been carried out and how
Medication that is administered intravenously is				well the patient has responded to that treatment.
called IV therapy, and since patients receive this				IV therapy nurses work in varying settings, such
care at home, the home IV therapy nurse				as at hospitals, for home health agencies, and at
specialty was created. There is a huge demand				physician's offices. The home IV therapy nurse
for this type of nursing since the cost for patient				must be technically adept to handle patients with
care is diminished but the quality of the care				various illnesses and varying conditions. This type
remains high when a home IV therapy nurse is				of work appeals to a person who craves
involved in the patient's care.				autonomy, is creative, loves to educate patients,
Most people think that the home IV therapy				loves to work in different environments, enjoys
nurse only provides intravenous medication. For				travel from site to site, and communicates well
example, most of us realize that any cancer				with all people involved in the patient's care.
patient receiving medication at home is being seen				Empathy and compassion are key personal traits
and cared for by a home IV therapy nurse. So				that enhance patient care provided by the home
what else does a home IV therapy nurse do?				IV therapy nurse.
In addition to administering medications to				The educational training provided by a home IV
patients, a home IV therapy nurse implements				therapy nurse is essential for good patient home
doctor's orders. These orders may be diverse				care. The patient and family members can be
and usually consist of performing venous and				trained by the home IV therapy nurse to
arterial punctures, administering blood products,				administer the IV medication(s).
and providing the patient transparenteral nutrition				Educational requirements desired for a home IV
(also called total parenteral nutrition and				therapy nurse are an RN with an Associate
abbreviated TPN) via a medical infusion pump. TPN				Degree in Nursing (ADN), a diploma, or a degree
is administered to people who cannot or should				such as a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN).
not eat due to their illness. TPN provides essential				Medical-surgical nursing experience is desirable
nutrients and is tolerated more easily by a patient				which should include IV, venous access, and
who is weak or has a compromised immune				phlebotomy training.
system.				Working as a home IV therapy nurse is
Home IV therapy nurses also monitor patients for				challenging but always rewarding. Consider this
infections at dressing and infusion sites, initiate				special niche in nursing if you like to travel,
emergency treatment if needed, assess the				educate patients and their families and make a
patient for allergic drug reactions, assess the				significant contribution to patient care.
patient for any medical complications and alert the

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What Does A Home IV Therapy Nurse Do?

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