7 Tips for A Parent Whose Child Just Started Infusion Therapy
It can be overwhelming to come home with a child who will require infusion therapy, whether they need it for a week or a lifetime. But as many veteran parents of children with medical complexities will tell you, it soon becomes routine for you to do their cares as you would any number of other daily tasks you do for your child. And with PHS on your team, you’re never more than a phone call or a visit away from answers and assistance.
We talked to two of our team members, Jill Wall, RN, BSN, CRNI, and Joel Skog, CRNI, to learn what their top tips are for parents who are just getting settled into infusion therapy service at home. Do you have any tips to add that make your life easier or care safer? We always love learning from our families too. Leave the lessons you’ve learned in the comments below!
When in doubt, call.
We’re available 24/7 at 651-642-1825, and there are no questions that should go unanswered when it involves your child’s health.
Keep your binder handy.
These education materials are a valuable resource on a variety of topics related to your child’s care, from step-by-step procedural photos and quick references to infection prevention tools – all specific to your child’s needs.
Organize your supplies.
One of the most important organizational rules is to make sure your IV supplies are kept separate from your oral and enteral supplies, and kept in a clean container.
Maintain your safe zone.
Creating a safe zone during cares is one key to infection prevention. All supplies will be kept on safe zone, protecting them from contamination. Maintain sterility in all parts that need to be kept sterile. If anything becomes contaminated, such as the end of a syringe, start over from the point of contamination to keep the patient safe.
Scrub the hub!
For 15-30 seconds, each and every time needleless connector will be accessed. If your child’s needleless connector is being accessed by somebody else, be your child’s advocate, in making sure the hub is properly scrubbed before access.
Notify us of hospitalizations.
If your child is admitted and won’t be home to receive a scheduled home infusion or delivery, please let us know. We can all be responsible stewards of healthcare dollars by avoiding having the medication mixed only to be thrown away if it expires. Call 651-642-1825 and ask to speak to the infusion nurse to report the hospitalization.
Utilize online resources
Did you know we have an entire page dedicated to infusion tips & how to’s on our website? From tips on managing long infusions to changing a needleless connector, this (expanding) collection of resources may be just the answer to your questions.
Originally published: December 28, 2016