Journal of intravenous nursing : the official publication of the Intravenous Nurses Society
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Home intravenous therapy offers many benefits for children as well as adults. Infants less than 1 month old may also benefit from home I. V. therapy. ⋯ V. therapy recipients, and providing safe home I. V. therapy for them requires changes in standard home I. V. policies and procedures.
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Guidelines for evaluating and selecting general-purpose infusion pumps are provided, along with a discussion of an ECRI evaluation of these pumps. In an evaluation of 14 models from nine manufacturers, ECRI found that the pumps differed significantly in performance, features, and cost. ⋯ Eight of the models studied were rated acceptable on the condition that users take precautions to prevent free flow. Concerns were raised about infusion sets that allow free flow if not manually clamped on set removal and pumps that do not always detect upstream occlusions.
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Intraosseous infusion is an outmoded technique that is gaining new prominence in the field of emergency medicine. Although not recommended as a replacement for conventional modes of intravascular access, this alternative provides rapid venous access during life-threatening emergencies. A review of the literature indicates that the intraosseous route provides relatively safe, rapid, and reliable access to the systemic venous circulation and is associated with an acceptably low complication rate. This article offers a brief historical overview of this technique and discusses insertion methods, clinical applications, and nursing management of pediatric intraosseous infusion.
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Administration of intravenous narcotics in a patient's home is a relatively new therapeutic method of controlling excruciating cancer-related pain. As with any new therapy, there are many questions and concerns related to administration and management. This article presents information derived from a literature review designed to improve understanding and technique.
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Intraspinal analgesia can provide relief to patients suffering from intractable pain. Nurses following patients receiving intraspinal analgesia need to be familiar with care of the long-term intraspinal catheter, side effects that occur with spinal analgesia, interventions with acute tolerance, and use of drug combinations in the intraspinal infusion. ⋯ This method of intraspinal delivery permitted long-term epidural access without complications of system breakdown or catheter migration. With intraspinal infusions, the patient remained alert and could die at home with dignity, free from pain.