IV nurse requirements for "IV bar"

[Echo Romeo]

I'm wondering what the requirements are for the nurses at these pop-up IV bars where you can go in and tell them what you want (usually vitamins, amigos, etc.) and they mix it up and give it to you. Do they have a doctor on site, or is this just a nurse-run thing with a set of standard orders/protocols from a doc? 
I work at a Dr office that does vitamin infusions, but the drs are always in house and it's always for their established patients. They're looking at doing walk-ins and also being able to run the IV room while they're not in house. 
I was wondering what the legal requirements were for this, and what qualifications the nurse would need. (RN vs LPN, ACLS, etc.) I have researched the nurse practice act and the IPLA (Indiana) website to no avail. Any info or a point in the right direction would be helpful.

Thanks!

[Hannahbanana, BSN, MSN]

This is a real thing? Lord, take me now. ::eye roll:: 

I expect the nurse practice act specifies who may initiate, maintain, and monitor IV therapy under physician prescription somewhere. But in a private setting, like, oh, a walk-in IV BAR fergawdsake… I’m surprised the BON wouldn’t care about this. 

[amoLucia]

Those 'specialty' IV clinics have been around for a while. I remember them a way time back. They often also included oxygen therapy supplementation.

I believe the go-to rationalization was for tx of overimbibing.

It was all private-pay/out-of-pocket. In high class frou-frou communities.

[Hannahbanana, BSN, MSN]

{{more eye rolling }}

[Echo Romeo]

So, eye rolling or not (y'all are kinda judgy around here), IV bars are a thing. And yes, they're typically in affluent communities or college towns. To my understanding, they usually have a "menu" and people can choose which IV they want for which purpose. Hang-over cure, immune system boost, energy boost, migraine cure - the reasons people want the IVs are endless. 

My question was about the legitimacy of these places and how they legally do what they do - especially with no doctor present. 

One helpful suggestion that I received elsewhere was that there may be a nurse practitioner on site with LPNs or IV techs starting the infusions. I just can't find anywhere that addresses this in regards to the nurse practice act, Joint Commission, etc. 

There are many people who make their own medical decisions, which can include vitamin infusions, herbal remedies, acupuncture, etc. There are many kinds of nurses, and some of them work for IV bars. I'm not judging anyone for their choices regarding this, but I would like to know a bit more about the requirements. 

 

[FlorentineRN]

I would tread very carefully.  These are the questions I would be asking:

Do all patients receive an examination by a medical provider and is this documented?
What are the diagnoses?
Who mixes the IV infusions?  If it doesn’t come from a pharmacy I would be worried.

IV therapy always carries the risk of infection which may lead to sepsis.  What are the policies about this?

Also, ask your State Board of Nursing about any regulations for this industry.

[Julius Seizure]

I have absolutely no insight that can help you, OP.  Sorry.

However, I did want to chime in about all the eye-rolling.  Yes, these types of places are often used by those who are nursing a hangover, or similar.

However, I have personally been in a position of being so dehydrated from miscellaneous illness* that I need IVF to help me recover.  I would love to live near one of these "bars" if it could save me the cost of an ED visit.  I'm sure the ED would rather save their beds for emergencies, as well.


*miscellaneous illness, in this case is code for the healthcare team not knowing what is wrong with me and therefore just assuming its a panic attack ?

[MunoRN, RN]

There are a number of Nursing Boards that have position statements on the topic, in state's that don't it's often because they don't consider what occurs there to be a form of legitimate medical treatment, so you aren't there as a nurse even if you have a nursing license, which leaves you massively exposed in terms of liability.

In my state, Board of Nursing's position is that no licensed nurse should have any part in "IV spas" or any other non-medically-legitimate practice, typically our IV spa's are staffed by non-licensed 'practitioners'.  The two in my area are run by chiropractors.

[Kspeed]

I would leave the building with the doctor because if something happens while the doctor is out, the doctor will throw you under the bus.