Mitigating the Risks Associated with IV Push Medications

Recorded On: 05/17/2023

image

About 90% of hospitalized patients receive medication intravenously (IV), making IV therapy one of the most common practices performed by nurses and other clinicians. IV push medications can be particularly dangerous given the immediate bioavailability and the narrow therapeutic dose range, and reversing the effects may prove difficult. There are safety considerations associated with IV push medication preparation and administration.

The results of an Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) survey revealed that 84% of the clinicians still dilute IV push medications, including prefilled syringes, and other clinicians enact additional improper practices including the manipulation of ready-to-administer (RTA) medications and dose adjustments. Unsafe IV push preparation and administration practices can lead to microbial contamination, medication errors, needlestick injuries, drug diversion, increase staff time, and medication waste.

ISMP and the Infusion Nurses Society Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice recommend providing adult IV push medications in an RTA form to decrease the likelihood of errors and diversion. Clinicians have access to evidence-based practice standards, but in many organizations, a gap exists between understanding the evidence and implementing it. During this webinar, we will discuss the risks associated with IV push medication preparation and administration, barriers to implementation of evidence-based practice, and strategies to improve IV push medication safety including the benefits of RTA IV medications.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, learners will be able to:

  1. Discuss safety issues associated with IV push medication preparation and administration.
  2. Describe published evidence in the literature, ISMP guidelines, and INS Standards of Practice to guide safe IV push medication preparation and administration.
  3. Explore barriers to implementation of evidence-based practice.
  4. Discuss strategies to improve IV push medication safety.
  5. Debate the benefits of RTA medications.

Karen Laforet, RN, MClSc-WH, CCHN(C), CVAA(c), VA-BC™

Karen Laforet is founder and senior clinical consultant for LK Professional Consulting Group. The company focuses on clinical practice implementation, quality improvement, and legal consultation primarily for vascular access, infusion therapy, and skin health. She is also a part-time faculty member with York University's Health Leadership and Learning Network, where she teaches postgraduate nursing continuing professional development, and has presented her work nationally and internationally and has published in numerous peer-reviewed journals. Karen has a deep commitment to improve patient safety and health outcomes through the application of evidence into practice for medication and infusion therapy, pain and symptom management, skin health integrity and health policy advocacy. Karen is a committee member with the provincial nursing regulatory agency, the College of Nurses of Ontario; is serving on the National Coalition for IV Push Safety (NCIVPS); is a member of and on the editorial review committee for the Infusion Nurses Society (INS); and is involved with the Association of Vascular Access (AVA) as a committee member for the Clinical Practice Guideline Group and as current president-elect. Karen continues to work clinically in the community and long-term care areas.

CRNI® RUs: This session has been approved for 2 CRNI® recertification units and meets the non INS Meeting criteria.

Contact Hours: This session has been approved for 1 contact hour

Expiration date for receipt of contact hours: May 17, 2026

To receive contact hours for this educational activity, you are required to attend the entire educational activity and complete the evaluation.

The Infusion Nurses Society is approved as a provider of continuing nursing education by the California Board of Registered Nursing, provider #CEP14209. The certificate must be retained by the attendee for a period of 4 years.

Key:

Complete
Failed
Available
Locked
Mitigating the Risks Associated with IV Push Medications
Live event: 05/17/2023 at 1:00 PM (EDT) You must register to access.
Webinar Evaluation
Certificate
Printable Certificate You must register to access.