Each year, IV Nurse Week is an opportunity to recognize the expertise, dedication, and impact of infusion nurses. This year, however, we intentionally went beyond celebration. Our goal was to provide meaningful, practice-focused education that nurses could immediately apply in their clinical environments.
Throughout the week, INS delivered three podcasts and three live webinars designed to address real challenges infusion nurses are navigating every day from infection prevention to infusion safety and advancing technology integration.
INS Infusion Room Podcast Series
The three IV Nurse Week podcast episodes were built around timely, relevant clinical conversations:
From Standards to Practice: Managing Shared Volume and Concurrent Infusions This discussion centered on translating standards into real-world infusion management, particularly when dealing with concurrent therapies and shared volume considerations. These are nuanced clinical decisions that directly impact patient safety, and the episode provided practical insight to support confident decision-making.
The Hidden Burden: Tackling CLABSI and CRBSI to Elevate Patient Safety Infection prevention remains foundational to infusion practice. This episode explored the ongoing burden of bloodstream infections and reinforced the importance of sterile technique, team accountability, and evidence-based prevention strategies.
Expanding Protection Against CABSI and CLABSI Building on infection prevention themes, this conversation focused on strengthening protective practices across care settings. It highlighted collaboration, vigilance, and the role infusion nurses play in leading safety initiatives.
These episodes went far beyond theory. They were grounded in real-world practice and created to encourage thoughtful reflection, meaningful conversation, and practical improvements in everyday infusion care
IV Nurse Week Webinars
In addition to the podcasts, we hosted three high-impact educational webinars that drew strong engagement from nurses across the continuum of care.
Advancing Infusion Safety Through Smart Pump–EHR Interoperability Technology integration continues to evolve, and understanding how smart pump and electronic health record interoperability enhances safety is critical. This session addressed how connectivity can reduce programming errors and improve infusion accuracy.
Optimizing Outcomes: Evidence-Based Approaches to Vascular Access Device Selection Device selection decisions have direct consequences on patient outcomes. This webinar examined evidence-based strategies for vascular access selection and practical approaches to integrating clinical standards into decision-making.
Integrated vs. Non-Integrated Peripheral IV Catheters: Evidence, Application, and Context Peripheral IV practice remains one of the most common yet complex areas in infusion therapy. This session provided clarity around catheter selection considerations and reviewed the evidence guiding practice.
The Impact
What stood out most during IV Nurse Week was the level of engagement. Nurses asked thoughtful questions, shared experiences, and demonstrated a continued commitment to advancing their practice. That engagement reinforces what we already know. Infusion nurses are deeply invested in delivering safe, evidence-based care.
IV Nurse Week gives us a dedicated moment to focus on learning and recognition, but advancing our practice doesn’t stop when the week ends. The INS Learning Center remains available with webinars, podcasts, and continuing education opportunities that support infusion nurses year-round.
If you weren’t able to attend the live sessions, I encourage you to take a few minutes to access the recordings. And if you did join us, there’s additional content in the Learning Center that may continue to support your work in meaningful ways.
In Summary
As I often share with our listeners on the podcast, knowledge empowers us to make informed decisions. So until next time, stay informed, stay curious, and continue seeking opportunities to grow.
As we look ahead to this next year, I encourage you to take intentional pauses throughout the months ahead to reflect on the important work you do each day. Whether the impact feels big or small, your efforts to advance patient care truly make a difference. You are seen, and you are appreciated.
And one final call to action, keep investing in your learning. Your future patients (and honestly, your future self) will thank you for it.
Author:
Derek Fox, MSN, RN, VA-BC, CRNI® Clinical Education Program Lead Infusion Nurses Society
