As a retired RN and a former IV nurse, I was shocked to hear of Fraser Health’s decision to eliminate the specialized positions of IV nurses. This definitely is a step backwards in health care and is fraught with disaster.
Most wards are short-staffed as it is. Some medications are incompatible and have to be given separately and at different rates. The overworked nurse is responsible, as the person who administers the medication and must have time to research the dosages, timing of drops, etc.
Often times it is difficult to thread the needle through collapsed veins or to the scalp vein of a wriggling, screaming infant. On-ward emergencies can distract and doctors or relatives of other patients may demand her attention while she is trying to carry out this delicate procedure.
Fraser Health – please reconsider.
Bev Tate, Surrey