IV Nurse Day: Celebrate Jan 25
Infusion therapy is a critical part of medical care today — which means IV nurses play an invaluable role in the lives of patients. Every January 25, IV nurses (also known as infusion nurses) are recognized with a day of their own that honors their work and their contributions to patient care.
What is National IV Nurse Day?
In simple terms, IV Nurse Day honors infusion nurses and the work they do.
IV Nurse Day was first established by the U.S. House of Representatives and proclaimed by then Massachusetts Congressman Ed Markey in 1980. Since then, the day is celebrated each year on January 25.
Sponsored by the Infusion Nurses Society, IV Nurse Day honors and recognizes the decades of contributions and accomplishments of the infusion nurse specialists and the infusion nursing community. The day also promotes the advancement of the IV therapy specialty and appreciates the IV nurses who provide infusion care.
Why IV Nurse Day matters
IV Nurse Day matters because the work IV nurses do is so critical to the lives of a wide variety of patients. IV nurses perform a wide range of important tasks that involve intravenous (IV) therapy. This means IV nurses do everything from provide emergency hydration for athletes to administer chemotherapy to perform blood transfusions.
Today, there are more than 7,000 members of Infusion Nurses Society, an international nonprofit organization that represents IV nurses and other medical professionals engaged in infusion therapy.
What IV Nurses Do
IV Nurse Day makes for a great occasion to learn more about the work of these specialized healthcare workers and to thank an IV nurse for the work they do. Infusion nurses have an important job delivering care to patients who need IV therapy — a job that covers everything from selecting the optimal infusion device to beginning and maintaining intravenous lines to keeping close tabs on the wellbeing of the patient receiving IV therapy.
Because infusion therapy is necessary in so many different medical settings, IV nurses can take on a wide variety of roles. For example, one IV nurse might work on a sports team, another in the oncology department of a hospital, and yet another in a busy emergency room.
Part of the work of IV nurses is educational, because they are the ones who often have the most direct contact with patients. IV nurses often teach patients and their loved ones about IV therapy, showing them how to maintain IV treatment and instructing them on both expected effects and unexpected side effects.
Considering a career as an IV nurse yourself? Read our in-depth article on how to become an IV nurse.
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