Experience with administrating IV's in ports

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MichelleP
MichelleP Member Posts: 254
edited March 2014 in Caregivers #1
Has anyone had experience administrating IV antibiotics into the port? I have a home health nurse that will be doing this for my husband 2 times a day and then I myself will do the same they tell me in addition to flushing the port itself. I've never experienced anything like this before and I'm really nervous about it. Sure hope someone here knows about it. Thanks!

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  • SonSon
    SonSon Member Posts: 174
    #2
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    YOU CAN DO IT
    Girl - you are smart, brave and persistent.
    YOU CAN DO IT.
    Besides, they would not send a nurse out to teach you if they did not think it was something an "unlicensed" caregiver could learn to do.
    Heck - there are things we do that if we wanted to be employed doing we'd have to go to school a couple years to do - or at least a few months and certifications.
    Fatima
  • MichelleP
    MichelleP Member Posts: 254
    #3
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    SonSon said:

    YOU CAN DO IT
    Girl - you are smart, brave and persistent.
    YOU CAN DO IT.
    Besides, they would not send a nurse out to teach you if they did not think it was something an "unlicensed" caregiver could learn to do.
    Heck - there are things we do that if we wanted to be employed doing we'd have to go to school a couple years to do - or at least a few months and certifications.
    Fatima

    Fatima
    Thanks for your confidence! I tend to worry about anything and everything these days. We've had so many obstacles on this journey of ours so I guess I've started to panic about the next "what if". I heard one of the nurses at the onc's office while getting chemo say how accessing the ports requires special training. gulp :-O
  • sue Siwek
    sue Siwek Member Posts: 279
    #4
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    MichelleP said:

    Fatima
    Thanks for your confidence! I tend to worry about anything and everything these days. We've had so many obstacles on this journey of ours so I guess I've started to panic about the next "what if". I heard one of the nurses at the onc's office while getting chemo say how accessing the ports requires special training. gulp :-O

    i have not administered ivs
    i have not administered ivs in ports but i have done plenty of injections and i am not a nurse. one lesson and you will be able to do it. you may feel a bit nervous at first but you can do it. go to your primary care doctor and one of the nurses will give you a lesson.
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #5
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    sue Siwek said:

    i have not administered ivs
    i have not administered ivs in ports but i have done plenty of injections and i am not a nurse. one lesson and you will be able to do it. you may feel a bit nervous at first but you can do it. go to your primary care doctor and one of the nurses will give you a lesson.

    MichelleP
    My port has to be flushed every 6 weeks..Its a piece of cake..The only thing that might get to you will be if you have to insert the needle to access the port on him...It is a natural reaction to not want to cause any pain to whom you love so inserting the needle causes him to wince slightly but it is enough for your instinct to tell you "your hurting him" and it seems impossible to accomplish. What you have to prove to yourself is that you are helping him get better rather than hurting him, it then and only then makes it doable, he is very lucky, you are an amazing caregiver..Your Friend, Clift
  • MichelleP
    MichelleP Member Posts: 254
    #6
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    Buzzard said:

    MichelleP
    My port has to be flushed every 6 weeks..Its a piece of cake..The only thing that might get to you will be if you have to insert the needle to access the port on him...It is a natural reaction to not want to cause any pain to whom you love so inserting the needle causes him to wince slightly but it is enough for your instinct to tell you "your hurting him" and it seems impossible to accomplish. What you have to prove to yourself is that you are helping him get better rather than hurting him, it then and only then makes it doable, he is very lucky, you are an amazing caregiver..Your Friend, Clift

    I did it!
    Well my friends...I've done the IV three times now with complete success! Not one single glitch in the process. But, I gotta tell ya....before the first one I thought I was going to give myself a stroke I was so darn terrified!

    PS Don't tell anyone, but I had 2 beers to celebrate my success last night! ha ha
  • SonSon
    SonSon Member Posts: 174
    #7
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    MichelleP said:

    I did it!
    Well my friends...I've done the IV three times now with complete success! Not one single glitch in the process. But, I gotta tell ya....before the first one I thought I was going to give myself a stroke I was so darn terrified!

    PS Don't tell anyone, but I had 2 beers to celebrate my success last night! ha ha

    YAY!
    I knew you could do it.
    You earned the beers...but, hell, where's ours???
    Just kidding - I don't drink. Hope you laughed.
    Fatima
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #8
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    SonSon said:

    YAY!
    I knew you could do it.
    You earned the beers...but, hell, where's ours???
    Just kidding - I don't drink. Hope you laughed.
    Fatima

    Good for you Michelle,,,,,,,,
    Nice reward also...LOL......good for you girl, it will probably make it easier than driving to an appt and back to have them do the same thing and at least your in your own home....Keep the chin up my friend......Clift
  • jimbeam50
    jimbeam50 Member Posts: 47
    #9
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    Buzzard said:

    Good for you Michelle,,,,,,,,
    Nice reward also...LOL......good for you girl, it will probably make it easier than driving to an appt and back to have them do the same thing and at least your in your own home....Keep the chin up my friend......Clift

    Michelle P
    You have become a much stronger person over the last few months. You are doing a good job. Sheila

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