CVME Insider: Nursing Knowledge That Matters

Infusion Therapy is a growing industry and we have more and more patients going home with implanted ports, temporary dialysis catheters, and other types of Central Venous Catheters (CVC).  We get many questions regarding the scope of LVN's/LPN's and what they can and cannot do in regards to infusion therapy. For the sake of this article we will use the term Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) as this is what they are referred to here in California.  However, most states still refer to an LVN as and LPN or Licensed Practical Nurse.  That is another discussion in its entirety. California is one of the only states that we know of at this time that requires LVN's to gain an IV Certification in order to perform IV Therapy .  Pedagogy has a great link that one may use as a resource to determine what an LVN can and cannot do in regards to infusion therapy . Here is California it is illegal for a Medical Assistant (MA) to start an IV or even access a central ...

  A Huber Needle is a specially designed hollow needle used with implanted ports. A Huber needle has a long, beveled tip that is inserted through the patients skin as well until it accesses the silicone septum the implanted port's reservoir. The beveled tip of a Huber needle will not remove a core of silicone from implanted port as this is the way it is designed.   This design will allow as much as 2000 needle sticks into the implanted port’s reservoir without having to be changed. Dr. Ralph L. Huber , a dentist, designed the sharp, beveled, directional needle tip and Dr. Edward B. Tuohy, an anesthesiologist, refined it for use in spinal catheters. Huber needles are used to access ports implanted under the skin of patients who may be suffering from a chronic illness, such as cancer, pancreatitis, or has the need for repeated access to veins for blood withdrawal.   These patients often need the implanted port for infusion of medication , nutritional solutions, blo...