When antibiotics taken orally have proven ineffective, doctors may choose to give patients antibiotics intravenously (IV). Often, patients are medically ready for hospital discharge but still require prolonged intravenous antibiotic therapy. Home IV antibiotic therapy provides these patients the alternative to continue their antibiotic treatment in the comfort of their home.
Common diagnoses for home IV antibiotic therapy include:
Cystic fibrosis
Osteomyelitis (inflammation of the bone)
Pneumonia
Celluitis (skin infection)
STDs (sexually transmitted diseases)
Septic arthritis
Prostatitis (condition of the prostate gland)
Sinusitis (infection of the sinuses)
Wound infection
AIDS-related infections
Catheter infections
Endocarditis (inflammation of the heart’s inner lining)
Urinary tract infection
Respiratory tract infections
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of medications or chemicals with cancer-fighting abilities that can be given in several different ways. IV chemotherapy is medicine given through an IV (into a vein). Often, physicians decided that home IV chemotherapy is best because it allows the patient to return to the comfort of home and be surrounded by family members. Patients on home IV therapy can continue with their daily routine activities and often are able to return to work.
Hydration
Patients can become dehydrated due to an illness, surgery, or accident. Dehydration occurs when patients are loosing necessary fluids at a rate faster than they are retaining fluids. By giving hydration therapy through an IV line, the patient receives the necessary fluids faster than by drinking them. In this treatment, patients are given basic IV solutions containing sterile water with small amounts of sodium (salt) or dextrose (sugar). Patients who are stable and who don’t require hospitalization can have their IV hydration therapy administered in the comfort of their own home.
Common diagnosis for hydration therapy:
Pregnant women often become dehydrated when suffering form “morning sickness”.
Elderly patients who become dehydrated from flu-like illnesses.
Athletic activity in very hot weather can cause acute dehydration.
Chemotherapy patients often receive hydration therapy following their treatment.
Post-operative tonsillectomy patients often receive IV hydration to prevent complications.
Severe diarrhea due to illness.
Prolong high fever due to illness.
Pain management
Intravenous pain management is a safe method that allows patients to give their own pain medications with the push of a button, as prescribed by your physician, offering rapid pain relief. Pain medicine is most commonly delivered through an IV by an ambulatory, programmable infusion pump (PCA – Patient Controlled Analgesia), which is set to meet the patient’s needs as prescribed by your physician. A nurse comes to the patient’s home and programs the pump to allow dosages that provide comfort without the risk of overmedicating. When necessary, the nurse can also make programming changes as recommended by the physician, eliminating the need for the patient to return to the hospital or physician office.
Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)
TPN is a lifesaver for patients who cannot get their nutrition through eating. Everyone needs calories and protein, in addition to other substances, to stay healthy. TPN is a complete form of nutrition and may include a combination of sugar and carbohydrates (for energy), proteins (for muscle strength), lipids (fat), electrolytes, and trace elements. A patient’s prescription may contain all or some of these substances, depending on the condition.
TPN is administered through an intravenous infusion, usually using a central line. A central line is a special, long lasting IV line, surgically implanted in the chest, which goes through a vein directly into the heart. TPN is administered in the comfortable surroundings of the patient’s own home, allowing them to enjoy routine activities, hobbies and in many cases, to return to work.
Common diagnosis for TPN:
GI tract cancer
Crohn's disease
Pancreatitis
Malabsorption syndrome
Inflammatory-bowel disease
Ulcerative Colitis
Short-bowel Syndrome
Cystic Fibrosis
Massive bowel resection
Persistent intestinal fistulae
Trauma-related GI complications
Conditions that severely limit intestinal function
