Intravenous therapy in patients' homes is a relatively new procedure in the community nursing practice. This article looks at the practicalities of administering home IV therapy from the following aspects: hand hygiene; how to adjust IV therapy practices to the home environment; care of the IV access site including appropriate dressings; identifying and reacting to problems; maintaining a safe environment when performing IV therapy in a patient's home; anaphylaxis and how to identify and manage it; and the need for training to perform home IV therapy.

Drew Payne - Community staff nurse, Whittington Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK Member of the Royal College of Nursing