Our Nursing Infusion Services

Cardiac inotropic therapy involves the use of medications, known as inotropes, to adjust the force of the heart's muscle contractions. Commonly used in patients that are waiting for a heart transplant or as comfort measures in end stage of heart failure

• Common Diagnosis
  • congestive heart failure
  • cardiomyopathy
• Common Drugs
  • Milrinone
• Method of Administration (IV, subq, etc).
  • Continuous Infusion
• Average length of therapy
  • Long term, > one year

Antibiotics are widely used in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.  Antibiotics are produced by various microorganisms and fungi which inhibit the growth of or destroy bacteria and other microorganisms.

• Common Diagnosis
  • Cellulitis/Bacteremia/Osteomyelitis
• Common Drugs
  • Vancomycin, Daptomycin, Caspofungin, Ceftriaxone
• Method of Administration (IV, subq, etc).
  • IV
• Average length of therapy
  • 2 – 6 weeks
  • Infusion typically infuse 30 minute but can also be required to infuse around the clock/continuously

Enteral nutrition generally refers to any method of feeding that uses the veins to deliver part or all of a person’s caloric requirements.  The feeding is delivered directly into the gut via a tube.

• Common Diagnosis
  • Dysphagia
  • Failure to thrive
  • Malnutrition
• Common Formulas
  • Osmolite, Peptamen, Nutren
• Method of Administration
  • IV
• Average length of therapy
  • May be short as 3 months, usually lifetime

Human immune globulin & Biologic  therapy is used for the treatment of immunodeficiency, prophylaxis of infectious diseases, and in the management of a variety of other inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.

• Common Diagnosis
  • Common variable immunodeficiency
  • Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuritis
  • Hypogammaglobulinemia
  • Lupus
  • GI Disorders
  • Thyroid Eye Disease
  • Myasthenia Gravis
• Common Drugs
  • Gammagard, Gamunex, Cytogam, Octagam, Hizentra, HyQvia,Benlysta
• Method of Administration (IV, subq, etc).
  • SQ, IV
• Average length of therapy
  • 3 month- > 1 year

Hydration therapy is the infusion of fluids directly into the bloodstream.  By using IV delivery, 100% of the administered dose of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fluids is absorbed immediately on a cellular level.  Hydration is commonly used in conjunction with chemotherapy therapies or for pregnancies causing prolonged emesis.

• Common Diagnosis
  • Dehydration
• Common Drugs
  • Normal saline with additives
• Method of Administration
  • IV
• Average length of therapy
  • Few weeks; many times hydration is ordered as needed, one to two times per week.

A class of drugs that are used to treat inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, juvenile arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis), ankylosing spondylitis and psoriasis. These drugs are able to reduce inflammation and stop disease progression.

• Common Diagnosis
  • Regional enteritis
• Common Drugs
  • Remicade
• Method of Administration (IV, subq, etc).
  • IV
• Average length of therapy
  • 6 months

Catheter Care Therapy/ Insertion Services 

Tunneled catheters and implanted ports are the other types of central venous catheters, which are tubes threaded through veins to a spot near the heart for the purposes of giving medications. Tunneled catheters and implanted ports are typically left under the skin to keep them in place and require flushing periodically with saline solution or clot-inhibiting medication.

• A Registered nurse will insert an IV as needed
• Weekly Sterile dressing changes for central Lines (Picc's & ports)
• Peripheral IV change every 72-96 hrs 
• Lab collection services 

Inotropic therapy makes an injured or weakened heart pump harder. It’s used to make the heart muscle’s contractions stronger. It may also speed the heart’s rhythm.

• Common Diagnosis
  • Cardiomyopathies
  • Heart failure
• Common Drugs
  • Dobutamine, Milrinone
• Method of Administration (IV, subq, etc).
  • IV
• Average length of therapy
  • Maybe short term while waiting for heart transplant
  • Maybe long term if surgery is not an option

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare, progressive disorder characterized by high blood pressure (hypertension) in the arteries of the lungs (pulmonary artery) for no apparent reason. The pulmonary arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood from the right side of the heart through the lungs.

• Common Diagnosis
  • Pulmonary Hypertension
• Common Drugs
  • Treprostinil, Epoprostenol
• Method of Administration (IV, subq, etc).
  • IV
• Average length of therapy
  • Usually long term, > 1 year

TPN is receiving nutrients intravenously.  TPN bypasses the digestive system entirely and goes directly into the bloodstream, where the nutrients are absorbed.

• Common Diagnosis
  • Malabsorption
  • Dysphagia
• Common Drugs
  • Amino Acids, Travasol
• Method of Administration (IV, subq, etc).
  • IV
• Average length of therapy
  • Maybe short term, i.e., 6 weeks, but most often it is for lifetime