Plain-language guides for patients and families on IV lines, catheters, infusion therapy, and vascular access care — what to expect, how to stay safe, and when to ask for help.
A complete patient guide to living with a tunneled central venous catheter — Hickman, Broviac, or Groshong — including exit site care, dressing changes, flushing differences by catheter type, activity, bathing, complications, and long-term management.
A complete patient guide to going home with a PICC line — dressing care, flushing, bathing, activity, recognizing problems, when to call for help, and home infusion therapy.
A complete patient guide to going home with a midline catheter — dressing care, flushing, bathing, activity, recognizing complications, and when to seek help.
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 discharge planning when leaving the hospital with a vascular access device — what to confirm before you leave, home infusion setup, supplies, follow-up, and who to call for help.
A complete patient guide to dialysis vascular access — understanding AV fistulas, AV grafts, and tunneled dialysis catheters, how to care for each, what warning signs to watch for, and how to protect your access long-term.
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.