Infusion Therapy Principles and Practice

This unit develops clinical knowledge and technical skills for safe intravenous therapy, focusing on fluid and electrolyte management, parenteral nutrition, calculation of dosages and flow rates, delivery systems, documentation, and peripheral IV essentials. It builds on foundational concepts and prepares students to perform and accurately record infusion therapies and to transition into advanced procedural competency in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze patient assessment data and laboratory values to identify fluid and electrolyte imbalances and determine appropriate IV therapy interventions
• Apply clinical calculation methods to accurately compute drug dosages, infusion rates, drip factors, and parenteral nutrition formulations within accepted safety parameters
• Demonstrate proper setup and operation of IV delivery methods (gravity, infusion pumps, syringe infusion) and aseptic technique for peripheral IV insertion in simulated clinical scenarios
• Evaluate and document all infusion therapies, including parenteral nutrition and medication administration, using standardized legal and facility-specific documentation practices and recognizing reportable complications