Nursing is an independent profession that is accountable for serving the community. The authority of nursing is based upon a contract with society derived from a complex social base. Within the context of this contract, society grants the profession considerable autonomy to manage its own affairs.

A specialist is a generalist, but a generalist has not acquired the knowledge and skill in a defined area to be designated a specialist. Specialization marks the advancement of nursing practice. It signifies that nursing has moved from a global approach to a focus on defined areas within the practice that require specialized knowledge and skills. The foundation of specialty practice is based on the knowledge gained from general nursing education and a concentrated study in a selected clinical area of nursing.

The Patient
Patients receiving infusion therapy represent a diversity of diagnoses and varying degrees of illnesses. These patients are of all ages, from the neonate to the older adult. The care of the patient receiving infusion therapy includes collaboration with the patient, his or her family and significant other, and healthcare team members.

The Nurse
The infusion nurse has acquired knowledge and skill in the specialty practice of infusion nursing. The infusion nurse is accountable for practicing within the defined scope of practice for the RN and is committed to providing safe, quality infusion nursing care. The infusion nurse's practice is based upon the following:

• Knowledge of anatomy and physiology
• Specific knowledge and understanding of the vascular system and its relationship with other body systems and infusion treatment modalities
• Participation in the establishment of the patient’s ongoing plan of care
• Skills necessary for the administration of infusion therapies
• Knowledge of state-of-the-art technologies associated with infusion therapies
• Knowledge of psychosocial aspects of care, including a sensitivity to the patient's wholeness, uniqueness, and significant social relationships, along with knowledge of community and economic resources
• Interaction and collaboration with members of the healthcare team and participation in clinical decision-making processes

Organizational infusion-specific policies and procedures should be developed, implemented, and adhered to in conjunction with the Infusion Nursing Standards of Practice. The infusion nurse should collaborate with or participate on committees that regulate the practice of infusion nursing and interact with other members of the healthcare team to provide safe, quality infusion therapy and care.

The infusion nurse should perform nursing process. The process should include assessment, problem identification or nursing diagnosis, outcome identification, planning and communication, implementation, and evaluation. The infusion nurse should collect data, prioritize patient problems and needs, develop and implement care plans, and evaluate patient outcomes.

The infusion nurse should advance the specialty practice of infusion nursing through active participation in education, research, and development of new technologies. The sharing of information is critical to the advancement of the profession; thus, the infusion nurse is encouraged to communicate through professional publications and other forums. The infusion nurse should participate in the development of specialty practice policies on the organizational, professional, and legislative levels.

States’ Nurse Practice Acts, in addition to rules and regulations promulgated by states’ Boards of Nursing, provide definition and framework for the practice of infusion nursing. The Infusion Nursing Standards of Practice represents an extension of the scope of practice and offers specific criteria essential to the delivery of safe, competent, and quality infusion therapy.

• Purchase Infusion Nursing Standards of Practice from the INS Store.