INS webinars deliver the most current infusion-related topics in a 60-minute presenter-led session. Each webinar is delivered live and then archived for on-demand viewing. All webinars are free to INS members.

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  • An Updated Evidence-Based Practice Bundle for Blood Cultures
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits Includes a Live Web Event on 06/14/2023 at 1:00 PM (EDT)

    When diagnostic systems paint accurate pictures of patients, unnecessary and broad-spectrum antimicrobial use is reduced in favor of appropriate and targeted therapy, keeping antimicrobial resistance in check. Critical results demand that we give diagnostic tools and techniques the necessary development time to remain well ahead of the curve as therapeutic guidelines. As clinicians we have the responsibility of ensuring that new evidence-based practices are incorporated into our patient care, keeping practice advancements pertinent to patient problems. In this session, the attendees will learn about the criticality of diagnostic accuracy and the associated cost of error, be equipped to assess clinical literature with an eye for evidence-driven opportunities to mitigate blood culture contamination, and learn how to best manage this practice change.

    When diagnostic systems paint accurate pictures of patients, unnecessary and broad-spectrum antimicrobial use is reduced in favor of appropriate and targeted therapy, keeping antimicrobial resistance in check. Critical results demand that we give diagnostic tools and techniques the necessary development time to remain well ahead of the curve as therapeutic guidelines.  As clinicians we have the responsibility of ensuring that new evidence-based practices are incorporated into our patient care, keeping practice advancements pertinent to patient problems. In this session, the attendees will learn about the criticality of diagnostic accuracy and the associated cost of error, be equipped to assess clinical literature with an eye for evidence-driven opportunities to mitigate blood culture contamination, and learn how to best manage this practice change.

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

    • Review the history of antibiotic resistance detailing the causes and mechanisms of resistance.
    • Describe the impact of contaminated blood cultures on patients, antimicrobial stewardship efforts, quality patient outcomes, and hospital economics.
    • Interpret evidence-based clinical literature to drive a new standard of care for patient quality outcomes.
    • Discuss and influence how diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship initiatives enhance local practices and progress global goals in health care.
    • Explain and employ tools and methods to implement and sustain new evidence-based practices. 

    Tammy Johnson, BS, RN, CPM

    Tammy Johnson, BS, RN, CPM, is the associate vice president of clinical strategy and customer relations at Magnolia Medical Technologies. With over 30 years in nursing and 20 years as a nurse leader and now executive in the medical device industry, Tammy’s focus remains on changing the standard of care to prevent both patient harm and the misspend of health care monies. Tammy holds degrees in nursing, business, and health care management;  has been evaluated as a highly engaging subject matter expert; has spoken at national meetings for the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), the Infusion Nurses Society (INS), and the Association for Vascular Access (AVA); and been the keynote speaker for several state APIC meetings. She has also been the invited speaker for state hospital associations;  presented at national meetings for the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), and the American Hospital Association (AHA); and was  invited to present to the Presidential Advisory Council for Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in Washington, DC.

    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: June 14, 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.

  • Mitigating the Risks Associated with IV Push Medications
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits Recorded On: 05/17/2023

    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.

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    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, CCHN(C), VA-BC™, CVAA(c)

    Karen Laforet is a registered nurse with over 40 years of experience, 30 of those dedicated to the practice of medication and infusion therapy safety. She has practiced in critical care, home care, and long-term care; spent 9 years in industry; and is currently practicing in long-term care. She is board certified in vascular access and nationally certified in community health nursing and IV and infusion therapy. She is on faculty for York University, teaching infusion therapy and advanced IV and medication safety postgraduate courses that she herself designed. She is the lead educator for a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care long-term-care IV medication training program, an Association for Vascular Access (AVA) board member, and a board member for the National Coalition for IV Push Safety (NCIVPS).

    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.

  • The Positive Impact of Rapid Infusions
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits Recorded On: 04/26/2023

    ​Many high-acuity infusions are time and labor intensive, leading to poor patient adherence, treatment delays due to scheduling issues, and significant staff workload. As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, scheduling these infusions can be even more difficult due to space restrictions. As many infusion centers around the nation face difficulties with scheduling, patient load, and nursing shortages, rapid infusion protocols can help to decrease the negative impact of these issues. In this session, a literature review and quality improvement project on rapid infusion protocols will be presented. Clinicians will explore key findings in research on rapid infusion protocols, including their impact on patient safety, nursing workload, and patient satisfaction. Further, we will discuss the results of an Ocrevus rapid infusion protocol project that was implemented in an outpatient infusion center. These findings and literature can assist clinicians in implementing rapid infusion protocols in a variety of infusion settings.

    Many high-acuity infusions are time and labor intensive, leading to poor patient adherence, treatment delays due to scheduling issues, and significant staff workload. As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, scheduling these infusions can be even more difficult due to space restrictions. As many infusion centers around the nation face difficulties with scheduling, patient load, and nursing shortages, rapid infusion protocols can help to decrease the negative impact of these issues. In this session, a literature review and quality improvement project on rapid infusion protocols will be presented. Clinicians will explore key findings in research on rapid infusion protocols, including their impact on patient safety, nursing workload, and patient satisfaction. Further, we will discuss the results of an Ocrevus rapid infusion protocol project that was implemented in an outpatient infusion center. These findings and literature can assist clinicians in implementing rapid infusion protocols in a variety of infusion settings.

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

    • Describe the potential negative impacts of high-acuity, long infusions on both clinicians and patients.
    • Identify three key themes found in literature on rapid infusion protocols.
    • Explain the quality improvement project presented, including methods of implementation and key findings.
    • Describe at least one way in which a rapid infusion protocol could improve an issue in the clinician’s practice setting.

     

    Courtney Brandt, DNP, APRN, FNP-C

    Courtney Brandt is a family nurse practitioner at Paragon Healthcare and a clinical assistant professor at Baylor University. She has five years of experience in infusion nursing as well as several years of experience in nursing education. Dr. Brandt has a passion for educating both her students and her patients and enjoys spending time ensuring her infusion patients understand their treatment and plan of care. She earned her master’s from Texas Tech University in 2017 and her doctorate from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2022. Her doctoral project on the implementation of an Ocrevus rapid infusion protocol was recently published in the Journal of Infusion Nursing. Dr. Brandt has also completed scholarly work in the area of simulation and the use of innovative technology in nursing education. She lives in Arlington, Texas with her husband and four young children.

    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: April 26, 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.

  • You Can Write! Anatomy of Writing for Publication
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits Recorded On: 03/15/2023

    ​Infusion nurses have an ethical duty to disseminate their knowledge, and writing for publication is one way to fulfill that duty. Publishing also can help with career advancement. However, barriers, such as lack of time and confidence, often stand in the way of nurses’ sharing their expertise. In this program, you’ll learn how to break through those barriers so you can meet your writing goals. The speaker will demystify the publishing process, from picking a topic to reviewing final PDFs, and show how, as is true of nursing in general, following key steps can lead to an optimal outcome—in this case, a published article. You’ll also learn about nonpublication options for your writing to enhance your career. This foundational program will help pave the way for aspiring authors and serve as a refresher for more experienced ones.

    Infusion nurses have an ethical duty to disseminate their knowledge, and writing for publication is one way to fulfill that duty. Publishing also can help with career advancement. However, barriers, such as lack of time and confidence, often stand in the way of nurses’ sharing their expertise. In this program, you’ll learn how to break through those barriers so you can meet your writing goals. The speaker will demystify the publishing process, from picking a topic to reviewing final PDFs, and show how, as is true of nursing in general, following key steps can lead to an optimal outcome—in this case, a published article. You’ll also learn about nonpublication options for your writing to enhance your career. This foundational program will help pave the way for aspiring authors and serve as a refresher for more experienced ones. 

    Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, learners will be able to: 
    • Describe strategies for breaking down barriers to writing for publication.
    • State how nonpublication options can improve writing skills.
    • Discuss steps of the publishing process.

    Cynthia Saver, MS, RN

    Cynthia Saver, MS, RN, is a communications expert and president of CLS Development, Inc., which provides writing, editing, and education services. She has more than three decades of publishing experience as a writer, editor, and senior editorial executive. Cynthia is the editor of and contributor to Anatomy of Writing for Publication for Nurses, which is now in its fourth edition. Her articles have appeared in many nursing publications including Nursing Management, AORN Journal, Journal of Nursing Regulation, OR Manager, and the American Journal of Nursing, to name a few. She helped launch American Nurse Journal, the official journal of the American Nurses Association, and served as its editorial director for 15 years. Cynthia has presented many programs on writing for publication.

    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: March 15, 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.

  • Updated Clinical Strategies to Prevent Radial Arterial Catheter Failure in Critical Care
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits Recorded On: 02/22/2023

    ​Radial artery catheterization is a frequently performed procedure for critically ill patients. While often trivialized, the radial arterial catheter is an important vascular access device with a well-established and longstanding history. The correct function of arterial catheters is essential to provide accurate and continuous hemodynamic monitoring, facilitating intermittent blood sampling from which many treatments are based, and helping optimize the workload for critical care nurses and physicians. Device-related failure can decrease treatment responsiveness if inaccurate data is obtained due to poor device functionality. This can significantly impact the patient outcome. This webinar will discuss several effective clinical strategies that will improve device functionality and reliability and prevent unnecessary arterial device-related failure.

    Radial artery catheterization is a frequently performed procedure for critically ill patients. While often trivialized, the radial arterial catheter is an important vascular access device with a well-established and longstanding history. The correct function of arterial catheters is essential to provide accurate and continuous hemodynamic monitoring, facilitating intermittent blood sampling from which many treatments are based, and helping optimize the workload for critical care nurses and physicians. Device-related failure can decrease treatment responsiveness if inaccurate data is obtained due to poor device functionality. This can significantly impact the patient outcome. This webinar will discuss several effective clinical strategies that will improve device functionality and reliability and prevent unnecessary arterial device-related failure.

    Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, learners will be able to: 
    • Discuss the evidence-based practices that impact device performance
    • Identify key elements to improve patient outcomes with radial arterial catheters
    • Define current practical strategies to improve radial arterial catheter insertion

    Timothy Spencer, DipAppSc, BHSc, ICCert, RN, APRN, VA-BC™

    Tim Spencer is an Australian critical care nurse and vascular access specialist with over 34 years of experience. He was the first nurse to routinely place central venous catheters in Australia, which he did from 1996-2014, until moving to the United States. He has over 44 academic publications, focusing on ultrasound, best practices, and improving outcomes across the patient spectrum. Tim was the Australian Vascular Access Society (AVAS) founding president from 2009-2015 and served on the Vascular Access Certification Corporation (VACC) Board of Directors from 2012-2017. He is on the Scientific Committee for the World Congress for Vascular Access (WoCoVA) and is an active conference speaker. An editorial board member of several academic journals and a prolific reviewer, Tim is currently an associate editor at the Journal of Vascular Access (JVA). He was the recipient for the 2019 Suzanne LaVere Herbst Award for Excellence in Vascular Access, and his dedication to vascular access continues in his work, impacting clinicians globally as an educator and ambassador for best vascular access practices.

    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: February 22, 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.