A guide to your first visit to an outpatient infusion center — what the facility looks like, what to expect during check-in and your infusion, how long to plan for, what to bring, and how to make the experience more comfortable.
Vascular access safety guidance for immunocompromised patients — those receiving chemotherapy, transplant recipients, patients on immunosuppressants or biologics — including why infection risk is higher, stricter fever thresholds, enhanced precautions, and when to seek care immediately.
A parent's guide to vascular access in the NICU — explaining umbilical catheters, neonatal PICC lines, and peripheral IVs in newborns: why they are placed, what they look like, how they are cared for, and how parents can help protect them.
A guide to vascular access decisions when shifting toward comfort-focused or palliative care — when to keep or remove a catheter, the role of IV lines in symptom management, questions about IV fluids at end of life, and how to have these conversations with your care team.
A practical guide to traveling with a vascular access device — flying with a PICC or port, managing medications and supplies on the road, TSA and airport security, international travel, time zone management, and finding emergency care away from home.
A patient guide to therapeutic apheresis — what it is, the different types (therapeutic plasma exchange, LDL apheresis, red cell exchange, photopheresis), what vascular access is needed, what to expect during the procedure, and how to manage side effects.
A patient guide to subcutaneous infusion (hypodermoclysis) — delivering fluids and medications under the skin instead of into a vein. How it works, who it's for, what can be given, site care, and what to expect.
How to protect and care for the skin around your vascular access catheter site — understanding skin reactions to adhesives and antiseptics, preventing medical adhesive-related skin injury, managing sensitive skin, and when skin changes need professional attention.
A patient's guide to recognizing IV and catheter complications — including infiltration, phlebitis, infection, clotting, and air embolism — and knowing when and how to ask for help.
Quick reference cards for patients with vascular access devices — concise summaries of PICC care, port care, flush schedules, when to call versus go to the ER, signs of catheter infection, and emergency contacts. Designed to be printed and posted at home.
A curated list of questions for patients to ask their vascular access team — before a procedure, during a hospital stay, before going home, and for ongoing catheter care — organized for easy reference.
A patient guide to PICC line removal — when and why PICCs are removed, what the procedure involves, what to expect immediately afterward, and when to seek help if something does not feel right.
A guide to the emotional and psychological challenges of living with a vascular access device and undergoing IV therapy — normalizing anxiety and depression, identifying when to seek professional support, and practical coping strategies.
How patients can actively participate in preventing IV medication errors — understanding the five rights, verifying identity before every administration, knowing your medications, asking questions, safe home medication management, and speaking up when something seems wrong.
A guide to maintaining quality of life during long-term IV therapy — practical strategies for daily life, sleep, clothing, work, relationships, travel, and finding a sustainable new normal while managing a catheter and infusion schedule.
What patients need to know about IV medications and infusion therapy — types of infusions, what to expect during treatment, how the pump works, side effects to watch for, and how to stay comfortable.
A patient guide to navigating insurance coverage and prior authorization for home infusion therapy — how prior auth works, why delays happen, how to appeal a denial, financial assistance resources, and who can help you navigate the system.
A guide for parents and caregivers of children receiving IV therapy or living with a vascular access device — communicating with children about IVs, managing needle fear, age-appropriate activity and school, home catheter care, and caring for yourself as a caregiver.
A guide for family members and unpaid caregivers supporting an adult on home IV therapy — understanding your role, learning care tasks, managing emergency situations, setting realistic limits, and supporting your own well-being.
How patients receiving IV therapy can reduce their risk of falling — in the hospital and at home — including IV pole navigation, medication side effects, safe movement with a catheter, and when to ask for help.
What patients can and cannot do physically while living with a vascular access device — activity guidelines by device type, returning to exercise after catheter placement, sports and swimming, and why staying active matters.
What patients with vascular access devices need to know when visiting the emergency room — what to tell triage, how to protect your catheter, what ER staff may want to do, how to advocate for your device, and what to bring.
A patient guide to chemotherapy infusion — what happens before, during, and after treatment, understanding the nadir and neutropenic precautions, managing side effects, and knowing when to seek urgent help.
A patient guide to blood draws and lab tests in the context of IV therapy — how blood is collected, what to expect when drawn from a PICC or port, managing difficult veins and needle anxiety, and understanding common lab results.
A patient and family guide to arterial lines (A-lines) — what they are, why they are used in critical care, how they work, the critical safety rules that apply, and what to expect when one is placed or removed.
What patients need to know about allergies and sensitivities related to IV therapy — including drug allergies, latex allergy, tape and adhesive reactions, antiseptic sensitivities, and how to recognize and respond to an allergic reaction.
Mandates comprehensive, health-literacy-appropriate patient and caregiver education for all vascular access and infusion therapy encounters, defines the required educational content, and establishes the teach-back and return demonstration standards for verification of learning.