Intravenous Nursing Standards of Practice

Intravenous nursing standards of practice have been developed as a nurse's guide to infusion therapy administration. Standards have been designed by professionals in the field to meet the needs of the nurse, providing criteria for nursing accountability. This will guide the infusion nurse's decision-making process in developing and implementing individualized care plans.

Standards of Practice

• Infusion nurses are highly skilled and educated professionals.

  Nursing standards of practice incorporate evidence-based practice and research. In the United States and Canada, committees of experts in the health care field focus on defining the scope of practice and educational requirements for nurses practicing in a specific area. These experts are consulted to form a publication titled "Standards of Practice" to guide best care practices.

Intravenous Nursing

• Optional certification for IV nurses is available through agencies like the Canadian Vascular Access Association. Some agencies and employers encourage certification because it helps infusion nurses to stay current and to possess a standard level of knowledge and excellence in a specialty area. In the United States, the Infusion Nurses Society publishes standards of practice for IV nurses that are updated every few years.

Basic IV Standards

• Most published nursing standards come from North America.

  Standards of professional IV management are based on a few key principles, such as making appropriate patient assessment, noting of criteria used to select and recommend an appropriate vascular access device, and minimizing the risk of complications. Infection control and effective patient monitoring for the duration of therapy are highly important.