What to Expect on Your Teach and Train Home Infusion Visit

Beginning home infusion therapy can bring a mix of emotions for patients and families. For many, receiving care at home is new territory, and questions about the process are completely normal.

Our infusion nurses are experienced professionals trained to provide high-quality care in the comfort of your home while working closely with your pharmacy, physician, and care team. Patient safety is always the top priority. Our nurses follow strict infection prevention and safety protocols during every visit.

Many of the therapies that our nurses administer require a nurse to administer the first dose or require the first dose to be given in a hospital or clinic, but the patient is allowed to self-administer the ongoing doses. Prior to allowing the patient to self-administer a nurse is required to teach and train the patient in the proper steps to self-administer the therapy. As a nursing staffing agency specializing in home infusion, our goal is to make every patient feel safe, supported, and confident from the very first visit.

Before your first Teach and Train visit is scheduled, several important steps take place behind the scenes. Our staffing coordinators work closely with the infusion pharmacy and healthcare providers to:

• Coordinate your nursing services
• Schedule your visit based on medication timing and patient availability
• Ensure the appropriate nurse is assigned to your specific therapy needs
• Obtain physician orders and patient information
• Confirm medication and supply delivery arrangements

One of our staffing coordinators will contact you before your appointment is scheduled for a welcome call. Once the date of appointment is set, the assigned nurse will contact you to schedule a time for the visit. We usually give a 1-hour time frame for arrival for the visit. Your visit length varies depending on your therapy. Your nurse can give you an estimate of length of your visit.

The nurse will contact you again the day before your visit to confirm your visit and to confirm that you have received your medication and supplies from your pharmacy.

 

Day of Visit

On the day of your visit, your infusion nurse will arrive to your home within the discussed timeframe. The nurse will begin by introducing themselves, reviewing your treatment plan with you, and helping you feel comfortable with the process.

Prior to starting your training your nurse will complete an assessment that will include:

• Reviewing your medical history
• Reviewing allergies and current medications
• Evaluating your overall condition and home environment
• Verifying that all required items were received in your medication and supply delivery
• Checking baseline vital signs

Once your vital signs are obtained and determined within normal limits the nurse will then begin teaching/training you to administer your therapy.

The nurse will instruct on:

• Supplies needed for administration of therapy
• Reading the label of medication
• Medication dose and frequency
• Handwashing and other steps necessary to prevent infection
• Preparing medication for administration
• Withdrawing medication from vials into a syringe if required for your therapy.
• Loading infusion pump and troubleshooting pump if a pump is required
• Preparing administration site prior to administering
• Post administration site care
• If you have a PICC line or Midline you will be given instructions specific to your line type and location.
• Proper disposal of all supplies after administration

During this first visit the nurse will also teach:

• How your medication works
• Proper medication storage
• Signs and symptoms to report to your physician
• Emergency symptoms that require calling 911 or seeking emergency care

Depending on your preference, your nurse may guide you through each step while you perform the process yourself, or the nurse may demonstrate the process with verbal explanations before you try it hands-on. While hands-on learning is often the most effective approach, some patients prefer to watch the process first before participating. Our nurses remain flexible and will tailor the teaching experience to the approach that works best for you.

Your nurse will provide 2-3 additional teach and train visits to ensure that you are comfortable with the process. During the additional visits you will demonstrate each step of the procedure independently while your nurse observes and provides support if needed.

Once you are able to safely and confidently perform all aspects of your therapy on your own, your nurse will notify your pharmacy and document that you are independent with self-administration. However, our support does not end there. If your situation changes or you need additional assistance with your therapy at any time, simply let your pharmacy know your need. We can arrange for a nurse to return and provide the support you need to help you continue your therapy safely and confidently.