Have you ever started an IV on yourself?

mario_ragucci · Sep 9, 2002

While this subject is so fascinating for me, I have to ask another question, in special English, while we are on IV's:

Is there a difference between running drinking water directly into your blood and drinking it? Where is plasma made? Where does drinking water mostly enter the ICF once you swallow it.

I am totaly sorry to burden anyone with this. :-(

ruby321 · Sep 9, 2002

No, not in a million years would I stick myself. Basically, because I don't like pain. Ruby

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2002

Oh Mario! :chuckle Don't experiment on your patients! I think there are chemical in drinking water that would be caustic to you veins. Chlorine, lead, sulfer.

I'm trying to figure out how I'd co ordinate sticking an IV in myself. I mean my veins roll so how would I stabiliize it ?

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 9, 2002

why would I do that?

micro, RN · Sep 9, 2002

think water is hypotonic(but since, water is not used iv) not meant for direct injection into the veins.....where is my a & p book

same thing as hypertonic solutions.....totally different uses for uses of such than

use of isotonic solutions, as more standard iv solutions.......

starting iv on self........only once just to say I had..........

hey to Mario and to anybody else starting nursing school tomorrow..........have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!

micro and out

pollux, RN · Sep 9, 2002

Yes i did it and I usually do all of my bloodwork on my own. Whenever I teach someone how to do it and we dont have enough opportunity I usually lend my arm. And no I am not weird.... just want to help new staff before they do it on little children.

boggle, ASN, RN · Sep 9, 2002

Heaven knows, I need practice with IVs. I'm embarrassed to tell you how many I miss, (ummm... most of 'em?) So I wouldn't mind practicing on myself.

I'm guessing you used your non-dominant hand as the practice target. But, how do you stabilize or apply tension/stretch the loose skin around the chosen site on yourself?

On my patients, or should I say victims, I seem to be in the right place at the start, but then the vein rolls (or disappears!). I'm totally hopeless if I can't clearly visualize the vein. Then the next nurse comes in and gets the stick in a vein she palpated!! I feel sooooo inadaquate when it comes to IV starts. I'm getting a complex!!

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 9, 2002

it takes time and lots of sticks to get competence and i cannot fathom how practicing on my own veins, which i know like, oh say, the back of my HAND (bad pun, intended), would help me increase my competence for "tough sticks" later on......anyone here wanna volunteer for me to practice on???? i can always use improvement.

duckie · Sep 9, 2002

Originally posted by boggle
Heaven knows, I need practice with IVs. I'm embarrassed to tell you how many I miss, (ummm... most of 'em?) So I wouldn't mind practicing on myself.

I'm guessing you used your non-dominant hand as the practice target. But, how do you stabilize or apply tension/stretch the loose skin around the chosen site on yourself?

On my patients, or should I say victims, I seem to be in the right place at the start, but then the vein rolls (or disappears!). I'm totally hopeless if I can't clearly visualize the vein. Then the next nurse comes in and gets the stick in a vein she palpated!! I feel sooooo inadaquate when it comes to IV starts. I'm getting a complex!!

What I did to tighten the skin was to close my hand lightly, not into a total fist but tight enough to make the skin tight and it went right in. I can't do an IV on a flat hand.......weird!

NurseDianne, ADN · Sep 9, 2002

NO NEVER! I hate needles, I don't mind sticking anyone else, but I hate to be stuck for anything! I even put my annual physical off at work as long as possible!

Glad2behere · Sep 9, 2002

Let me see, HHHmmm

Does the one count I did on my big toe wearing a welding helment while parasailing?

Glad2behere · Sep 9, 2002

Mario,

Drinking water does not go in veins unless you want to put somebody into septic shock.