How to Become an IV Therapist

Author

Dr. Stephen Cosentino

IV nutritional therapy is a rapidly advancing field of anti-aging medicine. Many intravenous therapy patients report positive results from their treatments, and many providers enjoy the hands-on, patient-centered approach it brings.

Becoming an IV therapist is a great way to advance your career and deepen your connection with existing and future patients. And you don’t have to be a board-certified physician or surgeon to become one.

Here’s what you need to know about becoming an IV therapist and maintaining your certification.

How to Become an IV Therapist

Becoming an IV therapist requires some sort of educational prerequisite, generally a nursing degree. Aspiring IV therapists must also complete an initial certification program, which generally involves a combination of practice hours and classroom/hands-on training. The precise rules vary by state.

Once certified, IV therapists must fulfill continuing education requirements to maintain licensure. They may need to meet additional requirements set by state medical or nursing boards.

Who Can Become an IV Therapist?

The specific type of certification required to become an IV therapist varies from state to state. Most IV therapy trainees are already LPNs or registered nurses (RNs).

In some states, LPNs are limited in what they can do as IV therapists. For example, they may not be allowed to place central lines themselves. Where these restrictions exist, aspiring IV therapists may first want to get an RN or even NP degree.

What Do IV Therapists Do?

IV therapists perform a variety of tasks related to placing, managing, and removing IV lines. They may be involved in treatment planning as well, though a board-certified physician generally supervises IV nutrition therapy regimens. They may work in hospitals, medical clinics and spas, and even in patients’ homes.

IV therapists are trained to place several types of IV line:

Central line, which directly serves the large blood vessels near the heart
Peripherally inserted central catheter, or PICC line, which enters the body through a smaller vein (usually in the arm) and connects to larger central blood vessels
Peripheral IV line, which enters the body through smaller veins in the arm or leg and doesn’t connect to larger vessels
Arterial line, which enters the patient’s artery and is often used for continuous blood pressure monitoring
Midline, a special peripheral IV line for short-term infusions

They administer medications, blood products, and nutrition through these lines as needed, ensure they remain in place and safe, and adjust as per the treatment plan.

IV Therapy Training

To attract potential employers and reassure patients, aspiring IV therapists should complete at least one accredited IV nutrition therapy training course. IV therapy certification courses may also qualify for continuing education credit most states require for nursing license renewal.

Those looking for jobs at medical spas and aesthetic medicine clinics often take this course alongside other anti-aging training programs, such as physician-assisted weight loss training.

IV Therapy Certification and Licensing

To continue practicing, successful IV therapists must maintain active and unrestricted licensure with their state board of nursing or other credentialing body. If you’re not sure what’s required to do this in your state, check with your local board.

Aspiring IV therapists may also get a formal professional designation, like the Infusion Nurses Society’s Certified Registered Nurse Infusion (CRNI). This requires an active RN license and 1,600 hours of qualifying practice time within two years.