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Medical Author:

Maureen Welker, MSN, NPc, CCRN

Maureen Welker, MSN, NPc, CCRN

Maureen Welker received a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and also obtained a Public Health Nurse Certification. There she served as Vice President of the Graduate Nurses Association, at CSULB and also served as President of the Graduate Nurses Association. Ms. Welker is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner and is currently on staff at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• Introduction
• What are some of the conditions that are treated with an IV drug infusion?
• How do I prepare for the infusion?
• What are some things I can do to pass the time while receiving therapy?
• What happens during and after the infusion?
• IV Drug Infusion FAQs Index

How do I prepare for the infusion?

Below are a few helpful suggestions to help you create a pleasant and healing experience.

• The first and most important step is to replace "confusion" with confidence.
  
  
• Make a list of questions that pertain to your health condition or questions about your medication and infusion to review with your healthcare practitioner. It may be necessary to make an appointment to review all of your questions.
  
  
• Learn about the infused medication. There are many places to obtain information about your medication. Discuss the medication(s) with your doctor. Pharmaceutical companies often provide information in the offices and on the Internet for patients and their families. There may also be medical books written about your medication or health condition.
  
  
• Visit the Infusion Center and meet the medical staff before your first infusion.

Check with your healthcare practitioner or the staff at the infusion center for any pre-infusion instructions. Some examples may include:

• Drink plenty of water to be sure you are well hydrated. If you have a heart condition, kidney condition or any other health condition that prevents you from drinking large amounts of fluid, check with your healthcare practitioner for instructions on how to hydrate before your infusion procedure.
  
  
• Some infusions may require that you pre-medicate with medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol). Check with the infusion staff regarding any pre-medications you need to take prior to your infusion, the dose, and the best time to take the medications.
  
  
• Wear comfortable loose fitting clothes. You will want to be comfortable, and most likely your vital signs will monitored (for example, blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate (breathing rate), or a cardiac monitor may be attached to your chest). Every infusion center is different, so check with yours in regard to what to expect. Wearing loose fitting clothes allows the medical staff to easily and properly monitor your vital signs.
  
  
• Consider wearing clothing with layers to allow for temperature control. The temperature of the infusion center may be cool or warm; also some intravenous infusions can make you feel either warm or cool. Having layers of clothing allows you the flexibility to easily control your comfort zone.
  
  
• Most infusion centers will provide blankets, pillows, water and coffee. Check to see what the center provides in case they do not offer something that will make you more comfortable.
  
  
• Do not wear any fragrance or perfume, other patients may be allergic .
  
  
• Bring a complete list of current medications, allergies, and emergency contact information for the infusion staff to add to your chart.