What is infusion nursing?!?

[@joesangiacomo6]

I’m a 6 year ICU nurse and getting so burnt out on the stress and death and everything. This is a light for me. Great info and perspective. Thank you.

[@stevenharasti8292]

Of course! Remember there are other ways to use your skills knowledge. An experienced nurse has the golden ticket. If you want some advice on how to get started shoot me an email at [e-mail]. I’d love to help in anyway I can.

[@BrownskinbambiRN]

I started right out of nursing school , landed my 1st job in infusion in cancer center never wanted to go to the hospital and won’t . As I get more exp will go to travel It kind of landed on my lap tho , hospital jobs were not calling me back and that came about so I took it

[@stevenharasti8292]

Ya, it’s something that fell in my lap as well. I never really knew it existed. I became more specialized in IVIG randomly though. I’m glad it’s all working out for you though. Thanks for the comment!

[@BrownskinbambiRN]

@@stevenharasti8292 no problem!!!

[@melissa90ify]

I went from trauma/ step-down, ED, outpatient oncology, and now getting into home infusion in 3 years lol. I got my critical care and hospital experience out of the way early and need this so I can balance school and maintain work/life balance. I honestly would have reconsidered grad school if I found home infusion sooner, but it's still a win for me.

[@stevenharasti8292]

That is awesome to hear. Home infusion has changed my life too. It has opened doors I could have never imagined. I’m very happy you found it, and love it too! Thanks you for your comment.

[@tyimajenkins6725]

I’m a new grad also. I just accepted an infusion job with an oncology group. As a wife and mom of 3 it is perfect for my family.

[@stevenharasti8292]

@@tyimajenkins6725 congratulations! You’re going to love it!

[@prettygirlrene]

I’m starting this next week. I’ve been a nurse for 16 years and I’m over it… very excited to start this new venture. Great video! Thanks!

[@anpdude]

I Love This Guy!!!! & I am Sooooo very glad I started Home Infusions! After 14 years in the ER this is like a Working Vacation. It can get busy but then Checks get larger so, it all evens out in the end. Not for New Nurses or Adrenaline Junkies. My only concern was "am I going to make the same amount of Money?" Jury is still out, I just started so I will report back after I finish a full year in the business. Thanks for the Video Steven!!!

[@prettygirlrene]

Me too!! I’m starting this next week and I’m really looking forward to it!

[@romeroj821]

Current ER nurse here. I’m interested in finding something to get me away from the hospital and break up my intense routine but still working in the ED. I think this will be an awesome side gig!

[@stevenharasti8292]

That is how I got started doing it. It was just a side hustle for me but I slowly realized how easy and awesome this type of nursing is. Where are you located?

[@kristens5631]

OR/trauma nurse here, in an extremely busy trauma hospital, extreme short staff, etc. The burnout is soooo real lmao, literally burning my candle from both ends! Been looking into infusion nursing. Im only nervous as my anesthesia always handled the IVs, I’m worried about not having those skills 😕 but I learn quick! I have plenty of other nursing skills. The Monday-Friday schedule, no more nights, no more holidays, that sounds like a dream! Work life balance?? What’s that 🤣?? I’m going to do an IV course, as a start. I have no issue with talking to patients and building that relationship. I love that part ❤

[@stevenharasti8292]

I’m sorry to hear that. I want you to know you’re not alone! As a nursing community we deserve better. There are allot of opportunities out there for nurses. I would say for infusion nurses you need to have the iv skills but that is just a skill. Like anything else the more you do the better you get. Good luck in the future. I promise it will get better.

[@jerritbaker]

I graduate in a month with my BSN. This is something that I have been interested in for some time but haven't looked into. I have a lot of interest in rheumatology as I have an autoimmune disease myself. Like you said, I don't plan on starting out in this, however I have to find something I can fall back on when my body finally says enough is enough, and this might be it.

[@stevenharasti8292]

Yes, infusion nursing is nursings best kept secret. It’s not wildly know about. You would be a fantastic infusion nurse because you could relate with patients from a prospective of a patient. That is a huge advantage, and will make you that much better of a nurse. Get your experience with your assessment skills and starting IVs, but then totally take the dive into infusion. You won’t regret it. I haven’t.

[@BrownskinbambiRN]

I started right out of school never did hospital

[@Mic9Lives]

Great video very informative and much appreciated. My background is similar to yours including a big and crazy ER. I Actually took it up a notch from there and then burned out. Took some time off from nursing. I just had an initial screening interview for an infusion nursing job. I hadn’t found a lot of information on the Internet about what it is actually like, so your video was invaluable to me. Thanks again very much and best wishes!

[@stevenharasti8292]

I am very glad to here that. Infusion nursing is the nursing worlds best kept secret. You’ll love it. It has opened so many doors for me in directions I never thought possible. Thank you and good luck!

[@triple618dad]

@@stevenharasti8292 thanks for the video. I’ve been a nurse for eight years. I have an interview next week for an in home infusion nursing job. Im a little nervous about taking that leap. I was curious about your comment of how it opens other doors? Can you elaborate a little. And how do you deal with difficult IVs. Especially when you’ve driven maybe two hours and maybe can’t get the IV. Thanks!

[@stevenharasti8292]

@@triple618dad when you work in home infusion you are exposed to specialty pharmacy world. It has allot of opportunities. I started my own company offering nursing to specialty pharmacies. Me starting as a home infusion nurse was the start of all that. Once you get comfortable there is allot of opportunities for work too. You can make allot of money working with different companies. First rule of home infusion is to protect the medication at all costs. You start the iv first and do VS before you prepare the meds. If you can’t get the iv you can always reschedule or have another nurse come out. It’s not a big deal as long as you don’t wast drug. Figure most of these infusions of IG are 15k to 20k an infusion. Just always get IV and VS first before you open drug and you’ll be good.

[@coffeepandacat]

I think this is what I want to do after nursing school. Either this or OR nursing. I'm going to try for this first because I want to make sure I have my nursing skills on lock before going into OR. I know in the OR you kinda miss out on some skills or w/e.

[@stevenharasti8292]

@@coffeepandacat first off congratulations on starting the journey of becoming a nurse! Thank you for your commitment! I would say get your experience in the hospital first. Home infusion isn’t a great place to start as a new grad. If you really want to start in infusion I would start at an infusion center at the hospital. You will learn allot there and gain confidence in your IV skills. Good luck with whatever you try!

[@alejandroanddrade]

Thanks so much for your time and consideration by sharing all of this valuable info with the community. I'm a Mexican nurse with a specialty in intensive care and I consider myself proficient at starting ultrasound guided ivs´.Also I´m looking forward to get a nursing license at california and would love to get into infusion nursing.

[@stevenharasti8292]

You definitely should, it’s nursings best kept secret

[@MyLife-yv1fi]

Good video.

[@aleecianieves6519]

Great advice! Thank you.

[@ubeng06]

Great Information, thank you for sharing, Im looking for something like this in NY area

[@stevenharasti8292]

I started my own agency that’s based out of Southern California. Infusion nursing is musings best kept secret

[@BrownskinbambiRN]

Cancer centers

[@The_Blanco_Bronco]

What are the most common meds you give in this job? Also, how often are you accessing central lines or ports?

[@stevenharasti8292]

Primary I do IVIG but infusion nurses can do biologics, enzyme replacement, antibiotics. Even Chemo if you choose to go that route. I would say it’s 80/20 PIV/central access

[@wendywrenn7523]

Thanks for this information. Considering transitioning from Med Surge to Infusion Outpatient Clinic, so this video was right on time for me!

[@stevenharasti8292]

I am very happy to hear that. Infusion nursing is nursings best kept secret. It was the best decision I ever made for myself. Good Luck!

[@josephmarythumma7978]

Thank you. Great information.

[@stevenharasti8292]

Of course thank you for watching!

[@hongzhanghongzhang]

Thank you so much for sharing!

[@stevenharasti8292]

Of course! I look forward to putting out more content soon. I have some very exciting topics to discuss. Thank you for your comment!

[@diamondadiamonda711]

Thank you

[@laurachamberlain9591]

I am about to start nursing program in a couple days. My goal is to become an infusion nurse and then eventually a chemo nurse. What advice can you give for someone right out of nursing school?

[@stevenharasti8292]

First thing, Congratulations on getting into nursing school! The best advice I can give you is focus on your IV skills. I would also suggest working in the hospital for at least a year. Nursing school doesn’t teach you how to be a nurse. Being a nurse and working with peers does. I would start on an oncology, or some kind of step down unit. ER is great experience but I realize that’s not for everyone. Focus on those iv skills, if you can start an IV on anyone, that is a very marketable skill. You may not understand this yet but when you go to your clinicals you will. Learn sick from not sick. That is another skill that only comes from time and experience. Good luck and seriously congratulations!

[@lisar.2549]

Lots of good info. One thing I was waiting for though is who do you work for? Home healthcare? Hospital? Your own company? Bro, how you gonna leave that out? 😂

[@stevenharasti8292]

LOL! I do these videos because I want to help nurses looking for more information. They are fun to create too. I try to keep the self promotion to a min. I actually have my own company though. Check us out at finichealth.com

[@lisar.2549]

@@stevenharasti8292 oh, that’s cool. What state are you in?

[@stevenharasti8292]

Currently in California, can’t beat the pay and the weather.

[@thefiredmn]

Thank you for making such an informative video, I am graduating within the year. How much experience would you say is a good benchmark to have before being able to trust your own abilities. I’m aware that the basic skills are essential, but what I’m specifically referring to is the confidence it takes to be able to work with a patient one on one. Also, is this a self employment type of situation or were you hired by a corporation. Again, thank you for your work and you video.

[@stevenharasti8292]

Your welcome. Thank you for watching! As far as experience that is different for everyone. I would say if you work in a busy department and get lots of experience it will be less time. I would say focus on your IV skills and learning sick from not sick. There are many options you can work for a company to get started and grow your network and then you can work for your self or even start your own business. Infusion is nursings best kept secret you can take it anywhere you want!

[@dededailyinspiration5291]

Thank you for this ❤

[@stevenharasti8292]

Of course, I’m glad you liked it. Merry Christmas

[@exnivityplush]

What is the pay like in the past 3 years? is it comparable to other specialty? Thanks for the video ❤

[@stevenharasti8292]

Of course glad you liked it. It can very from state to state but in California it’s anywhere from $55 to $70 an hour usually

[@jnursing]

My goal even as a new grad, is non-bedside. And infusion nursing is one of my options. I’ve been a Technician for 3 years, and I’m already burnt out with bedside. So… this is one in my list tbh. How many patients do you get per day?

[@jnursing]

I’m honestly not interested in maintaining a skill intact to insert a foley, to insert an NG, cause end goal is NP. I don’t need or want those skills anyway

[@stevenharasti8292]

Nursing is more than just a sum of skills. A good nurse/NP needs to have strong clinical intuition. That unfortunately only comes from being in the trenches and paying your dues. If you want to do infusion nursing I suggest the one skill you have to learn is how to start an IV if you can’t start an IV you won’t be successful as an infusion nurse.

[@jnursing]

@@stevenharasti8292 I have to say I agree to disagree I come from a family of providers and nurses. And only 1 out of 6 nurses in my family is actually a bedside nurse but the other have less then 4 months or no experience in bedside nursing. And they are excellent nurses. 2 of them are on ambulatory surgical care centers, the other 3 actually are outpatient nurses one in primary care, one is a dialysis nurse, and one is an urgent care RN. So I disagree to an extent because they are excellent nurses with little to none bedside experience. And they are happy and have been doing it for a long time. Unlike other people that are bitter because they didn’t get to find an opportunity in nursing that intrigued them, and found it later in life and just wants everyone else to be miserable like them and how they experienced. Like they say, “misery loves company”. Nonetheless, my niche is established I absolutely have no interest in bedside and have other plans for clinical and nursing experience that’s not traditional to bedside and I’m sorry if other people think small and don’t know any better than to just follow the traditional “med-surg” route. Some people don’t want to wake up to a job they are sick of, maybe others are ok with that, but not everyone has to suffer in bedside for a starter opportunity as a new grad.

[@stevenharasti8292]

Your right, we will have to agree to disagree. I wish you good luck in your future and I hope you achieve your goals friend.

[@BrownskinbambiRN]

@@jnursing I started right out nursing school never did hospital , but I was a ma phlebotomist in peds for years so I was really good with IV starts , I landed infusion job right after school and never looked back at a hospital

[@morganmcdonald4948]

Thank you!

[@stevenharasti8292]

Of course!

[@auggie1790]

Hey Fella. Thanks for posting. Do you have to write notes and order stuff late after your "shift" is over. I hear some nurses end up late at night writing care plans or other stuff. I'm considering it. Thank you.

[@stevenharasti8292]

No I get most of my charting done when I’m with the patient. You totally should. It’s a good form of nursing and a nice break.

[@janruss3729]

What's the average pay scale for an infusion nurse?

[@stevenharasti8292]

It depends what state your located. I won’t take a job that pays less than 50/hr. Often times I make more than that though.

[@OBwanKanobi1]

What about the business aspect of infusion nursing? Can a group of nurses get together and create their own infusion business instead of working for an infusion company? Have you ever thought about that? If so, how. Great content, by the way. Curious to know what you’re doing now.

[@mztopia81]

​@@stevenharasti8292What state are you in ? Thanks 😊

[@stevenharasti8292]

@@mztopia81 I’m in California

[@mztopia81]

@@stevenharasti8292 Thank you 😊 very informative video... I'm looking into this now... I've beed LTC and MedSurge last 5 years

[@supple_gnar_weaponry]

hey man this is awesome. I've been in the ICU for nearly 5 years and am ready for a change. What state do you practice in? We are considering moving to Colorado. Also did you get your CRNI before you started applying?

[@stevenharasti8292]

Thank you! I am currently in California. The pay here is the highest in the county for nursing. The cost of living is higher but it’s worth it. Colorado is becoming cold California but doesn’t pay what California does. I have a ER background and have my CEN. I would say though if you’re looking to get into infusion nursing get your IgCN. INS (infusion nursing society) also has a professional certification.

[@supple_gnar_weaponry]

@@stevenharasti8292 thanks!

[@diamondadiamonda711]

Do you suggest taking a phlebotomy course for nurses who work in Med surg.

[@stevenharasti8292]

Phlebotomy is allot different skill then starting IV because starting a line you have to get into the vein and then thread the catheter. I would say if you can float to a unit where you do allot of IVs that would be the best way to learn. Pre OP and ER are the best areas to get IV experience. The more you do the better you get! Thank you for your comment and good luck!

[@michaellowell8844]

I just made the perdiem move from full-time at my ED. Seriously considering this infusion gig. What's usual protocol if IV access is unsuccessful?

[@stevenharasti8292]

You should! It’s less work and stress for more money. Protocol is three attempts and then if you still can’t get it you have to call the infusion. I’ve been doing this almost 3 years and still have not found someone that I couldn’t get an IV on even after multiple attempts…..knock on wood. If you work in the ED you won’t have any troubles getting your IV started. You see a lot of ports on patients that are hard sticks.

[@michaellowell8844]

Started with Option Care in January. Best decision ever.

[@jmartinez2ification]

@@michaellowell8844 Really? I'm an RT of 10 years and an RN of 2 years. I want out of the hospital so bad!!! I have floated to infusion unit at my hospital so I've accessed port-a-cath, picc lines and I am okay at IVs. Do you guys think I should try this out? I'm kind of a chicken. I have Stockholm syndrome with the hospital Lol🐤

[@muthoni632]

Does it pay?

[@stevenharasti8292]

Pay varies where you are in the US but California pay is typically 55 to 70 an hour depending on experience and company you work for

[@Globebiz]

Thanks for this video. Our compounding pharmacy is currently looking for a home infusion nurse. Where does your company locate?

[@stevenharasti8292]

Please check it out at Fccnursing.com they cover several states and locations.

[@matthewosborne6000]

I was an ER nurse that had to transfer to OR because I almost died from covid and physically couldn’t keep up. Well long story short because of the steroids with covid I now need a hip replacement but I’m only 26 so is this a job you would suggest to a young nurse for a career? I absolutely love starting IVs and have over a year of the ER/ICU experience so I feel like I would enjoy this

[@stevenharasti8292]

First of all I’m very sorry you went through that. And yes this would be an amazing career for you. What state you located in? I’ll give you a few companies to check into.

[@matthewosborne6000]

I live in alabama! Near mobile and thank you! Lucky to still be here and help others

[@stevenharasti8292]

Yes, I am very happy you are too. Check out Infinity and SPNN. They are very big and just got bought by a large insurer. Pay is ok but they will hire full time with benefits. If you want 1099 side work check out KH Nursing they are smaller but have a good presence in south East. Also I suggest searching LinkedIn and Indeed for infusion nurse jobs or just try searching for IVIG. I am glad you are still here and able to do what you love. Just know your not alone, as a community we all what you to succeed. Good luck!

[@matthewosborne6000]

@@stevenharasti8292 thank you! I keep seeing infinity getting brought up for this area so this helps.

[@MendandMake]

I’m finishing my ABSN. Would cardiac icu be good to get experience with assessment before you decide to do infusion nursing

[@stevenharasti8292]

Ya that would be a great place. Just practice starting IVs as much as possible. You will get awesome assessment skills there though and critical thinking. Depends where your at for pay but in California it can be anywhere from $55 to $70 an hour depending on who your with and how good you are.

[@MendandMake]

@@stevenharasti8292 that’s awesome. Yea I’m in San Antonio. I’ll check the market again when I get there. Thank you for the response. Infusion is really appealing to me.

[@amma-b6t]

What is pay range

[@stevenharasti8292]

It can very from state to state but it can pay from 50 to 80 an hour usually

[@starfoxx5862]

Hi, what is the difference between an infusion nurse and an IV certified nurse? Thank you.

[@stevenharasti8292]

Not really sure. The only thing I think of is IV certified nurse could do PICC and mid lines. That’s just my guess. I’d imagine they are very similar though.

[@Paula7379]

Can LPNs become infusion nurses?

[@stevenharasti8292]

Happy thanksgiving, some companies employ LPNs but primarily it’s RNs. It’s easier from a licensing standpoint.

[@vickipeterson2833]

Applying for a job now doing this. How many times have you had to call 911? If a person is having symptoms but not an anaphylactic reaction, do you always stop the infusion? Or sometimes just slow it down and monitor?

[@stevenharasti8292]

In almost 5 years I’ve had to call 911 twice. Only once due to the medication I was infusing. The patient started having CP radiating up into their jaw. I called 911 as a precaution because they were hypertensive with infusion. EMS ran a 12 lead and the patient refused transport. 90% of side effects are rate related, especially with IVIG, if you slow or stop an infusion most side effects will clear. If you stopped the infusion and the patient is back to baseline you can start the infusion again at half the rate when you stopped. Like all things in nursing the answer to your question is it depends. Your going to love being an infusion nurse it was the best decision of my career.

[@vickipeterson2833]

Thank you. That was a VERY helpful response! And definitely makes me feel better about trying it. I’m super excited about it. There’s quite a few openings in my area. I took the online didactic class FIT ( Fundamentals of Infusion Therapy) by NSO hoping that certificate will increase my chances of getting the job. I’m going to look into the IG certificate you mentioned in a comment. Thanks so much! Really appreciate it.

[@stevenharasti8292]

@@vickipeterson2833 of course glad I could help. Subscribe as I have allot more content coming out soon. Good luck!!

[@CherylRenea1]

I’m an RN at a LTC rehab facility. We work with IVs but we put them in. I’m very interested in becoming an infusion nurse. Would they train you how to insert I s or would I need to take a class first?

[@CherylRenea1]

So it was supposed to say we don’t insert the IVs.

[@stevenharasti8292]

Lol, yes I would say you need to be confident in your IV skills before you start. The only way to accomplish becoming good with IVs is to do them over and over. I would say work somewhere where you could get the IV experience then try infusion.

[@fatmatajalloh1727]

Do you get trained? If yes, how long is training?

[@stevenharasti8292]

No specific training is needed. I received an orientation from another nurse that was sufficient. What you need is to develop your clinical and IV skills prior to making the leap. Being skilled at starting an IV is very important. If you want to get education I recommend the IgNS as a great resource. Check them out at ig-ns.org they offer a IG academy that we use to onboard new nurses to the company I work with now.

[@BrownskinbambiRN]

Some cancer centers train you

[@guesswhat2476]

I am a new grad but not confident starting IV. what do you suggest? Thank you

[@stevenharasti8292]

I would say get a position in an ER or Pre Op. they start allot of IVs. You need to be very confident with your IV skills and in your ability to tell sick from not sick. Unfortunately the only way to learn that is with time and experience. Infusion is a growing field and will always be an option once you lean your skills and gain confidence. Good luck!

[@Scott-ff2oe]

@RN

[@jendeasis]

How do you like working 5x a week? I am in infusion outpatient and having a hard time adjusting due to going to work 5x a week

[@stevenharasti8292]

So, the key is to work part time with a company. That way you can pick up shifts when you want. Allot of nurses work at multiple companies to fill there schedules. Right now I have a full time job but I’ve looked into private insurance to allow me to pick up different contracted positions to fill my schedule. If you need your job to provide insurance it can be a little tricky but there’s ways to keep your schedule flexible. To answer your question though I hate working 5 days in a row. I miss my 3 12s sometimes

[@cynthiaperez4457]

Thanks for the information! Very helpful. I’ve been an RN for 7 years with 6 of those in Neuro, med surg and one year of ER. In response to your suggestion on jobs, are there travel infusion contracts that I don’t know about? That sounds real nice after paying my nursing bedside dues.

[@shadai1342]

@@cynthiaperez4457 I’ve seen a few Inpatient and outpatient

[@MendandMake]

Also, I’m note asking your salary but what is pay range from year 1 -4yrs

[@rosaleemwenja1132]

In New Jersey with 1ish year IV experience you can make atleast $40/hour.

[@MendandMake]

@@rosaleemwenja1132 Ill take that 40/hr for Texas lol San Antonio area we have a ton of hospitals and clinics so that might not happen at first

[@afiaa1519]

can i get your email pls