With a rapidly aging population and a rise in chronic illness diagnoses, infusion therapy services are projected to grow steadily for at least the next five years. It's also becoming more convenient and cost-effective for patients to hire nurses to provide infusion treatments at home rather than going to a clinic or infusion center.
Only certain kinds of infusion therapy can be administered outside of a medical facility. Still, the number of infusions done at home is expected to increase by an average of 7.3% per year between 2025 and 2030.
"The opportunity for new and exciting infusion therapies will only grow over the next few months and years," says Joshua Allen, RN, Senior Director of Infusion Services at BrightStar Care.
Nurses need to meet certain educational requirements and hold licenses and certifications to provide infusion treatments at home. Allen also notes that home care employers like BrightStar Care are looking above and beyond clinical skills—they want to see knowledge gained through experiences that books can't teach.
Here's what to know about what home infusion nurses do and the vital skills and qualities they need to succeed in this trending field.
- Understanding Home Infusion Therapy
- What Does a Home Infusion Nurse Do?
- Salary and Pay Rates for a Home Infusion Nurse
- How to Become an In-Home Infusion Nurse
- Apply to Be a Home Infusion Nurse with BrightStar Care
Understanding Home Infusion Therapy
In-home infusions are a skilled nursing care service provided at a patient’s home by a registered nurse (RN) with specialized training and certification to provide intravenous (IV) and infusion therapy.
For nurses with clinical experience, doing treatments at someone's home is more than just being in a different location. At a facility, you often have a full medical team of physicians, pharmacists, and fellow nurses. It can be fast-paced, with a higher nurse-to-patient ratio and limited time for individual patient interactions.
In-home infusion nurses work independently and provide one-on-one care. They still collaborate with other healthcare professionals to deliver quality health services, but they have a greater responsibility to work autonomously and be accountable. Mastering those skills, though, can bring you a flexible schedule, a variety of experiences, and the chance to get to know your patients better.
Allen, who was drawn to this specialty after experiences that included running IVs while going down the road at 50 mph as an EMT, says he enjoys bringing confident, safe care to patients in their most comfortable spaces.
"It’s a role that allows me to change someone’s life, if only for a moment," he says. "It allows me to become an extension of someone’s family when I see them regularly for treatments.”
What Does a Home Infusion Nurse Do? Key Duties and Responsibilities
Home infusion nurses treat people of all ages, and the case mix can range from infectious diseases and cancer treatment to autoimmune conditions and blood disorders.
The job is much more than stopping by to deliver treatment. A home infusion nurse has to be ready to serve as a patient and family educator, care coordinator, observer, monitor, assessor, and advocate.
The duties and responsibilities of a home infusion nurse can be divided into four categories:
Administering IV Therapies
The primary role of an infusion nurse is to provide IV therapies. The field of infusions that can be done at home is growing as new therapies come to market quickly. Many developing infusions are revolutionary in helping patients have a much better quality of life.
Common home infusion therapies include:
- Antibiotics
- Pain management
- Chemotherapy
- Immunoglobulin
- Inotropes
- Biologics
- Factor replacement
- Blood products
- Hydration
Offering Patient and Caregiver Education
With a relaxed environment and time for personalized care, infusion nurses have the opportunity to teach patients and caregivers how to manage their own health.
Nurses may educate patients and their families on:
- How to self-administer medication
- Skills needed to manage IV equipment
- Potential side effects of therapy
- Adverse reactions to watch for
Patient Assessment and Monitoring
An at-home infusion nurse has the unique privilege and responsibility of caring for patients on their own. Allen stresses that autonomy and accountability are crucial to the role because nurses will have to manage clinical concerns in the field without backup.
Responsibilities include:
- Performing thorough patient assessments
- Assessing the home environment for safety
- Continuously monitoring vital signs
- Tracking the patient’s response to therapy
- Maintaining complete documentation
Care Coordination
The infusion nurse often becomes a main part of the bridge connecting at-home patients with their healthcare providers. The job, of course, requires perfection in certain administrative tasks, like maintaining and updating patient records. But the true excellence of care comes through in strong communication and collaboration with patients, their family, their caregivers, and everyone who's a part of their care team.
Salary and Pay Rates for a Home Infusion Nurse
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses earn a median salary of $45 per hour, or $93,600 annually.
Many factors can influence the typical salary of a home infusion nurse. Here are some to consider:
Location
Where you work often has the biggest impact on your salary. Coastal places like California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington tend to offer higher pay. Southeastern and Midwest states such as Iowa, Arkansas, Alabama, and South Dakota may pay less. Keep in mind when comparing salaries that the cost of living in those areas may also be higher or lower.
Experience
Your wage usually steadily increases as you gain years of experience. For example, an RN with 11 or more years of experience can expect to earn $30,000 more annually compared to a new nurse.
Education
Most agencies will consider you qualified as a home infusion nurse if you are an RN in good standing. Further education, such as a master’s degree can help you earn a higher wage.
Type of Care
The responsibilities of your job, as well as the complexity of infusions that you manage, may affect your pay as well. For example, running a line for specialized medications like chemotherapy or nutritional support may require additional training and compensation.
Certifications
Pursuing certifications like the Certified Registered Nurse Infusion (CRNI) through the Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation (INCC) helps you demonstrate your expertise in infusion care. This can make your resume more appealing to new employers or help you advance in your current position.
How to Become an In-Home Infusion Nurse
If you think home infusion nursing could be the next step in your career, you'll need certain educational requirements and experience. You'll likely also want to build some specific skills. Here's what to focus on for a career in home infusions.
Requirements, Experience, and Certifications
Working as an in-home infusion nurse requires a strong foundation as a registered nurse. Most employers prefer candidates to hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) because earning that degree usually involves broader clinical training and a deeper foundation in patient education and care coordination.
Relevant nursing experience, such as working on a medical-surgical (med-surg) unit, in critical care, or in oncology, enables you to contribute skills in patient care and assessment. Your knowledge of patient education and the safe administration, monitoring, and management of infusions is an asset to this role.
The Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation offers a Certified Registered Nurse Infusion (CRNI) certificate that lets you prove your knowledge and skills in infusion practices, devices, and therapies. You can apply to take the CRNI exam if you have a current, active, unrestricted RN license in the U.S. and have logged a minimum of 1,600 hours in infusion therapy in the past two years. If you pass the exam, your credentials are active for three years, after which you’ll need to recertify.
Essential Skills and Traits of Infusion Nurses
Confidence and competence in your knowledge and clinical skills are prerequisites for infusion nurses, of course, but Allen says a drive to provide compassionate care while working independently is also vital. He lists some of the top traits of a home care nurse as knowing how to be honest yet comforting, thinking critically, and holding yourself accountable.
With experience, you can strike a balance between strong clinical skills, such as starting peripheral IVs and maintaining central lines, as well as excellent communication and interpersonal skills. You know how to start your line, but you also know how to put your patient at ease and help them relax while receiving lifesaving therapy at home. For every patient you see, aim to put a smile on their face.
Infusion nurses also need strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills. You don’t have a fully stocked supply room nearby, and calling a colleague for help isn’t always an option. You have to think on your feet and come up with solutions based on your knowledge.
"In the infusion field, you have to be humble and willing to learn something new, not just today, but every day," Allen says.
Allen also points out that many people can be taught to start IVs and run infusions. But the trait of holding yourself accountable and doing what's right when you aren't being watched—that's something only you can do.
Apply to Be a Home Infusion Nurse with BrightStar Care
BrightStar Care offers the opportunity to take your infusion skills, dedication to quality healthcare experiences, and ability to work independently and turn it into Knowing Care.
Here’s why BrightStar Care could be the place for you:
- BrightStar Care has received The Joint Commission’s Enterprise Champion for Quality Award every year since 2013, recognizing a dedication to healthcare quality standards.
- We partner with the Infusion Nurses Society (INS) so that nurses have up-to-date access to INS best practices and professional development opportunities.
- We highly value providing safe, compassionate, nurse-led care for our diverse range of patients and their families.
- We have experienced clinical leaders who will support you and help you learn with new opportunities so you can expand your skills and be your best.
- We offer flexible schedules, a variety of assignments to match your skills, and competitive benefits.
To apply to join BrightStar Care and pursue your passion to provide quality care, you’ll need:
- Current RN license
- Experience with IV therapy, phlebotomy, and central venous access devices (CVADs)
- Reliable transportation with auto insurance
- Clean background check
Explore the BrightStar Care career opportunities across hundreds of locations nationwide and apply today!