What Is Intravenous Therapy Nursing?
Intravenous therapy nurses, also known as infusion nurses, provide intravenous therapy to patients using an IV. Intravenous therapy can be used to replace lost fluids, restore electrolytes, to perform a blood transfusion, to administer chemotherapy, and more. Patients of any age can require IV therapy, and it can be practiced in almost all medical environments including hospitals, patient’s homes, and ambulatory infusion centers.
Infusion nurses are responsible for a wide variety of roles that include, but are not limited to: overseeing pain management with medications that can be distributed through an IV, education for the patient and their family, research and documentation on the patient and their condition.
Other takes that an intravenous therapy nurse has to do for the patient include punctures in the venous and arterial areas, maintaining IV tubing, dressings for the IV site and other types of IV care, monitoring the area and the body for any infections that might occur, assessing the patient during each treatment, and initiating any therapies in an emergency setting if needed.
What Is The Salary/Job Outlook For An Intravenous Therapy Nurse?
According to Johnson & Johnson, infusion nurses earn on average between $44,000 and $57,000 per year. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics, reports that the job outlook for registered nurses is positive, with 26% expected job growth between 2010 and 2020.
What Are The Educational Requirements For An Intravenous Therapy Nurse?
In order to become an infusion therapy nurse, an individual must first become a nurse by obtaining a nursing diploma, ADN, or BSN and passing the NCLEX-RN. Then, he or she must work at least 1,600 hours in an infusion related field. After completing this, he or she must pass the Certified Registered Nursing Infusion exam to become a Certified Registered Infusion Nurse (CRNI).
