From our introduction to IV Therapy, you would have read about what IV Therapy entails, in general. This article addresses those of us who may be wondering: “What types of drips are available to home IV patients in Singapore?”
Whether one is cancer patient receiving IV total parenteral nutrition, a haematology patient requiring injections of clotting factors, or a post-surgery patient completing a course of IV antibiotics – IV therapy at home may very well be an option you can discuss with your primary doctor.
IV therapy can refer to both injections and infusions. Before administration, dilution is usually needed involving fluids known as diluents.
IV Injections
- IV injections, otherwise known as IV bolus, involves the rapid injection of a one-time dose of treatment into the vein, such as during medical emergencies.
IV Infusions
- IV infusions are used to administer treatment slowly but constantly over a period of time. It comes in two forms: (1) Drip infusion and (2) Pump infusion
Drip infusion, commonly known as drips, mainly utilises gravity to deliver a constant amount of treatment over a period of time. It involves a fluid bag hung on a drip stand that is attached to your IV line. The fluid container holds all the treatment contents and the drip chamber is employed to count the rate of drips as well as to prevent air from entering the bloodstream. Drip rate refers to an estimation of the rate at which treatment is administered by counting the number of drops per minute. The roller clamp is used to adjust the drip rate.
Pump infusion involves the attachment of a pump to your IV line to more precisely control the delivery of treatment into the body, over a period of time. Two kinds of pump infusions are syringe infusion pumps and volumetric pumps.
- Syringe infusion pumps involve pumps that control the rate of push of a syringe’s plunger, hence controlling the rate of administration of treatment over a period of time.
- Volumetric pumps involve IV drips with the addition of pumps to better control infusion rate
Graphic credits to Team consulting
Can IV Therapy Be Provided Safely at Home?
Having to constantly visit the hospital can be a stressful and disruptive experience. Medical escort and transport services can be expensive as well. Home IV infusions can allow for earlier discharge, fewer trips to the hospital, lower risks of hospital-acquired infections, while keeping patients comfortable at home.
Read Next: What Types of IV Therapy are Available at Home?
Jaga-Me Medical Home Care helps patients to transit successfully from hospital to home, by providing hospital-grade care in the comfort of home. After booking an appointment with us, our team of home care experts will ensure that everything is well set up and safely administer IV therapy in your own home.
What do you need?
1. A doctor’s prescription for your first-time transition into home-based care, indicating the:
(a) Name, dose, frequency and duration of medication
(b) Type and amount of dilution agent required
(c) Storage and administration requirements
(d) Approval for home IV therapy
2. Equipment
– Drip stands, infusion pumps
– To discover the range of equipment that you can rent from Jaga-Me as well as our set-up services, visit our website at https://www.jaga-me.com/care-services/iv/
3. Trained and licensed medical professionals
– Not all nurses are competent at administering IV therapy, and complications may occur if done improperly. Our JagaPro nurses are accredited professionals who have been working in hospitals for more than 3 years. On top of that:
- Our nurses undergo hands-on competency tests for IV administration, and
- Standard Operating Processes are in place with staff adherence documented, similar to the practice in local hospitals.
To find out more, visit our website at https://jaga.sg or contact our team at 67173737.
References
Josephson DL. (2004). Intravenous Infusion Therapy for Nurses: Principles & Practice. Cengage Learning.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/hai/bsi/catheter_faqs.html
Doyle GR and McCutcheon JA. (2015).Clinical Procedures for Safer Patient Care. British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/clinicalskills/chapter/intravenous-ther- apy-peripheral-and-central-venous-catheters/
Josephson DL. (2004). Intravenous Infusion Therapy for Nurses: Principles & Practice. Cengage Learning.
NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms. National Cancer Institute. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/peripheral-venous-catheter
NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms. National Cancer Institute. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/port-a-cath
Polinski JM et al. (2017). Home infusion: Safe, clinically effective, patient preferred, and cost saving. Healthc (Amst). 2017;5(1-2):68‐80.
Pong AL, Bradley JS. (2019). Outpatient intravenous antimicrobial therapy for serious infections. Feigin and Cher- ry’s Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 238.
Tappenden P et al. (2012). The clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of home-based, nurse-led health promotion for older people: a systematic review. Health technology assessment (Winchester, England), 16(20), 1–72.
Therapeutic Protein Drug Products: Practical Approaches to Formulation in the Laboratory, Manufacturing, and the Clinic. Woodhead Publishing Series in Biomedicine; 2012, Pages 97-113
Waitt, C., Waitt, P., & Pirmohamed, M. (2004). Intravenous therapy. Postgraduate medical journal, 80(939), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1136/pmj.2003.010421
