Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Infusion Nurse

🎯 Role Definition

An Infusion Nurse (IV/Infusion Therapy Nurse) is a registered nurse who specializes in safe, evidence-based administration of intravenous therapies including chemotherapy, biologics, immunoglobulins, hydration, and blood products across settings such as ambulatory infusion centers, oncology clinics, home infusion, and hospital infusion suites. The role emphasizes clinical assessment, venous access management (PICC, port-a-cath, peripheral IV), pump programming, medication safety, patient education, triage, documentation in electronic health records (EHR), and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams to optimize clinical outcomes and patient experience.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Registered Nurse with med-surg, oncology, ED, or home health experience
Oncology Nurse or Medical-Surgical RN looking to specialize in infusion therapy
Travel Nurse with IV/infusion skillset

Advancement To:

Infusion Nurse Lead / Charge RN
Nurse Manager — Infusion Services or Ambulatory Care
Clinical Nurse Specialist (Infusion/Oncology) or Nurse Educator
Oncology Nurse Navigator or Case Manager
Director of Ambulatory/Infusion Services

Lateral Moves:

Home Infusion Nurse
Clinical Research Nurse (infusion trials)
PICC/IV Team Specialist
Travel Infusion Nurse

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Administer intravenous therapies (chemotherapy, targeted therapies, monoclonal antibodies, immunoglobulin, hydration, and blood products) safely and accurately according to provider orders, institutional policies, and evidence-based infusion protocols.
Perform comprehensive pre-infusion patient assessments including medication history, allergy review, baseline vitals, symptom and toxicity screening, and venous access evaluation to determine suitability for infusion therapy.
Insert, maintain, and troubleshoot peripheral IVs and assist with care for central venous access devices (PICC lines, implanted ports), including sterile dressing changes, site assessment, and documentation of site condition and patency.
Program, set up, and monitor infusion pumps (volumetric and ambulatory infusion pumps), verify pump settings against orders, and respond promptly to alarms or infusion variances to prevent medication errors.
Prepare, reconstitute, and verify intravenous medications per facility policy and collaborate with pharmacy for compounded agents, ensuring adherence to aseptic technique and USP guidelines when applicable.
Educate patients and caregivers about their infusion therapy plan, expected side effects, infusion process, post-infusion care, emergency signs/symptoms, and home care instructions to improve adherence and safety.
Assess and manage acute infusion-related reactions (e.g., hypersensitivity, extravasation, cytokine release symptoms) including immediate intervention, medication administration per protocol, escalation to provider, and documentation of incident and outcomes.
Monitor and document infusion parameters, patient response, pain scores, fluid balance, and vital signs throughout and after infusion in the electronic health record (Epic, Cerner, or vendor-specific systems) per facility charting standards.
Conduct accurate medication reconciliation prior to infusion sessions and verify allergies, lab values (e.g., CBC, CMP), and pre-medication requirements (antihistamines, steroids, antiemetics) to ensure therapy readiness and safety.
Collaborate with prescribing clinicians, pharmacists, case managers, and scheduling teams to coordinate timely infusions, dose modifications, lab monitoring, prior authorizations, and patient follow-up plans.
Perform venipuncture and phlebotomy to obtain necessary pre- and post-infusion labs and coordinate specimen handling with laboratory services to support timely clinical decision-making.
Implement infection prevention practices, central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) prevention bundles, and safe handling/disposal of sharps and biohazardous waste in accordance with OSHA and facility policies.
Triage patient calls and symptoms between infusion visits, provide clinical guidance, and arrange urgent evaluation when needed to reduce complications and hospital readmission.
Maintain competency through regular training, participation in skills validation (chemo certification, infusion pump competency), and adherence to continuing education requirements and institutional competency checklists.

Secondary Functions

Support clinic flow and scheduling by collaborating with administrative staff to optimize chair/room utilization and reduce patient wait times while maintaining safe staffing ratios.
Participate in quality improvement projects and safety initiatives focused on medication safety, infusion reaction reduction, and patient satisfaction metrics.
Contribute to formulary review, process improvement, and protocol development for new infusion therapies and biologics, ensuring clinical protocols reflect current guidelines and payer requirements.
Provide precepting, orientation, and mentorship to new infusion nurses and support staff, including evaluation of competency and ongoing coaching to maintain high clinical standards.
Maintain inventory control and coordinate ordering of infusion supplies, antiemetics, emergency medications, and IV catheters to prevent treatment delays and shortages.
Assist with billing documentation and charge capture for infusion services to ensure accurate reimbursement for administered therapies and clinic services.
Participate in multidisciplinary tumor boards, pharmacy-physician-nurse huddles, and case conferences to improve care coordination for oncology and complex infusion patients.
Support clinical trials and investigational drug administration by following study protocols, documenting deviations, and coordinating with research staff when permitted by institution policy.
Act as a resource to staff and patients on venous access device troubleshooting, dressing change frequency, flushing protocols, and long-term vascular access education.
Maintain a safe environment by ensuring crash carts are checked, emergency kits are stocked, and team members are prepared to respond to code/resuscitation events; maintain current BLS/ACLS certification where required.
Track and report adverse events, medication errors, and near misses through the institutional incident reporting system and participate in root cause analyses and corrective action planning.
Support outreach and community education efforts related to infusion therapies, vaccination clinics, and patient advocacy programs to enhance service visibility and patient access.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Registered Nurse (RN) license in good standing — active state licensure required.
IV insertion and phlebotomy proficiency with experience placing and troubleshooting peripheral IVs and familiarity with central venous access devices (PICC, implanted ports).
Chemotherapy and biologic infusion administration knowledge, including handling and administration of monoclonal antibodies, immunoglobulin, and targeted therapies; familiarity with ONS/ONS chemotherapy safety standards preferred.
Infusion pump competency (programming, alarm troubleshooting, pump types including ambulatory pumps) with documented skills validation.
Medication calculation and dose verification skills, including safe double-check practices and barcode medication administration (BCMA).
Electronic health record (EHR) documentation experience — Epic, Cerner, MEDITECH, or other ambulatory/hospital systems with infusion-specific workflow.
Basic Life Support (BLS) required; Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) often required or preferred depending on setting.
Certification or demonstrated training in infusion therapy best practices (Certified Registered Nurse Infusion (CRNI) or Infusion Nurses Society guidelines familiarity preferred).
Knowledge of infection control practices, CLABSI prevention bundles, and sterile dressing change technique.
Experience with outpatient infusion billing and charge capture processes, insurance authorizations, and medication prior authorization workflows.
Familiarity with hazardous drug handling safety, PPE use, and safe disposal practices in compliance with USP and OSHA guidelines.
Ability to interpret relevant laboratory values (CBC, CMP) and correlate with infusion timing, dosing, and pre-medication needs.

Soft Skills

Strong clinical judgment and critical thinking under pressure to recognize and respond to infusion reactions and acute changes in patient status.
Excellent patient education and teaching skills, able to explain complex infusion regimens and side effect management in plain language.
Compassionate bedside manner with empathy for oncology and chronically ill patients; ability to support patients emotionally during lengthy infusions.
Clear verbal and written communication for multidisciplinary team collaboration, handoffs, and precise EHR documentation.
Strong attention to detail to prevent medication errors, ensure accurate dosing, and maintain regulatory compliance.
Time management and organizational skills to balance multiple patients, documentation, and urgent tasks in a busy infusion suite.
Team-oriented mindset with the ability to lead small teams during a shift and support peers during high-acuity events.
Adaptability to change when new therapies, protocols, or workflows are introduced.
Problem-solving ability to troubleshoot pump issues, IV access failures, and scheduling conflicts.
Cultural competence and respect for diverse patient populations, tailoring education and support to each patient’s needs.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing with active RN licensure.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
Additional certifications such as OCN (Oncology Certified Nurse), CRNI (Certified Registered Nurse Infusion), or IV therapy certification are highly desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Nursing (ADN/BSN)
Oncology Nursing
Critical Care or Emergency Nursing (helpful for acuity management)
Home Health or Ambulatory Care Nursing

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1–5 years as a Registered Nurse, with at least 1–2 years of direct IV/infusion experience preferred for entry-level infusion roles.

Preferred:

2+ years of infusion, oncology, or ambulatory care nursing experience.
Experience with chemotherapy/biologic administration, central line care, and outpatient infusion clinic workflows.
Prior experience with electronic health records (Epic, Cerner) and documented infusion pump competency.
Current BLS required; ACLS and OCN/CRNI preferred depending on the employer and patient population.

Certifications strongly recommended: BLS (required), ACLS (preferred), OCN/CRNI/IV Therapy Cert (preferred), and facility-specific competencies (chemo/biologics administration, pump training, sterile dressing change).