Our home IV programme enables patients who are suitable, to self administer IV antibiotics in the comfort of their own home.
You will need a midline, PICC line or a port-ac-ath for administration of home IV antibiotics.
For your first ever course of IV antibiotics you will need to be admitted to hospital for the duration of treatment. If you require IV antibiotics again at some point it may then be discussed with you whether home IVs would be an option for you.
This would depend on a number of factors:
- if you are well enough at the time (you may need physiotherapy/ other support/ treatments that can only be facilitated in hospital)
- have the facility/ environment & support at home
- you are confident and competent enough to self administer IVs at home (there will be ongoing assessment and education to ensure the safety of IV drug administration at home)
You may need to be admitted to hospital for a few days for home IV education or travel to the day centre over a few days until you & your CF nurse are confident in your competence to undertake IV treatment at home.
If you are undertaking home IV antibiotics you will receive a starter kit of antibiotics and supplies for reconstitution of drugs . We will also supply you with a sharps container that you must return on your next visit to the day centre. Your pharmacy will provide you with the remainder of supplies.
All patients are issued with a drug reaction kit and instructions are given with steps to follow in the event of a reaction.
Home visits are co-ordinated for drug level monitoring, lung function testing and monitoring effectiveness of treatment.
If any issues arise during your course of IV antibiotics you can contact the CF Nurses on 0872241824. In the case of emergency outside of clinic hours, present yourself to Accident and Emergency.
Aside from our home IV programme we accommodate patients where possible for their routine port flushes, blood samples, specimen collection.