Learning Center

Lisa Gorski, MS, RN, HHCNS-BC, CRNI®, FAAN, has worked for more than 35 years as a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and educator for Wheaton Franciscan Home Health and Hospice, which is now Ascension at Home. As a CNS, she developed a home infusion therapy program in collaboration with the pharmacy and continues to provide infusion-related education for home care nurses as well as direct patient care. Ms Gorski received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Nursing. She is the author of several books and more than 7 book chapters and journal articles. She is an INS past president (2007-2008), past Chair of the Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation (INCC) Board of Directors and has served as the chair of the INS Standards of Practice Committee for the 2011, 2016, and 2021 editions and Co-Chair for the 2024 Standards. Ms Gorski was also the Chair for the 2017 and 2024 INS Vesicant Task Force. She was inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Nursing in 2006, named the CRNI® of the year by INCC, and named 2011 CNS of the Year by the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. Ms Gorski speaks nationally and internationally on standards development, infusion therapy/vascular access, and home health care. Over the years, she has addressed the Standards in multiple presentations in the US, China, Europe, and Middle Eastern African and Latin American countries.

Barb Nickel, APRN-CNS, CCRN, CRNI®, is a Clinical Nurse Specialist at a health care center in Nebraska. She is responsible for staff development, competency assessment, and process improvement to optimize outcomes in multiple areas of clinical practice, including critical care, infusion therapy, sepsis, and new graduate transition to practice. Ms Nickel was a co-author of the 2021 Infusion Nurses Society Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice, was Chair of the 2024 9th edition of the INS Standards of Practice Committee and is chair of the 2027 INS Standards Committee. She has authored several publications and speaks nationally on optimization of infusion therapy outcomes. She also serves as Adjunct Research Fellow for Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.

Ruth Van Gerpen, MS, RN, APRN-CNS, AOCNS, PGMT-BC, is a clinical nurse specialist for oncology in Lincoln, Nebraska. An RN for 45 years, she has over 37 years of experience in oncology with subspecialties in pain management and vascular access. She retired in January 2022. Ruth has been responsible for education related to cancer; pain management and vascular access; improvement of patient outcomes through implementation of evidence-based practice; and leadership in the development of comprehensive clinical practice standards, programs, and services. In 2020, Jennie Ong and Ruth published “Recommendations for Management of Noncytotoxic Vesicant Extravasations,” providing an updated list of noncytotoxic vesicants with recommended antidote and compress therapy.   She remains active on the local and national levels of the Oncology Nursing Society and continues to peer review and publish.