I am beginning to lose my mind

[peaceful2100, BSN, RN]

Today was a bad day for me. Today we learned Advance IV therapy we learned how to insert the peripheral cathether and how to do blood draws. Well I am terrible when it come to putting on that tourniquet. I could not get it tight enough without working at it for 5 minutes. Then the veins I was not so sure if I was feeling the veins because you can not see my lab partners veins not even in the hand. The instructor tried looking and she said not to do my lab partner because she can see them either. So then I did my instructor I did a vein on her hand I got the needle/cathether into the vein but did not advance good enough and the blood splashing out. Oh please someone tell me with practice and time that I will get better at what I do. Does anyone have any horror stories with IV starts and placing IV's. How about good bad stories that turned into good stories? We only get one practice day at school as a class. How abotu everyone else.

[BrandyBSN]

Hey Peaceful!

Honey! Dont worry! I know SO MANY people who have a hard time with IVs, i was one of them. I also have veins that are all but impossible to see, so i hear ya!

I can intubate, cath, and lance with ease, but those DARN IVS! I get stressed just thinking about them! It does take a lot of practice, and it does get easier. I am not sure how MUCH practice it takes to be really at ease with it, (I am NOT to that level yet, still shakey).

I know this might sound bad, but a lot of the people you will be doing IVs on in the hospital are "old" people, with protruding veins, and not much of a fat layer to try to see through. Some of the veins "roll", but it is easier to hit them if you can see them.

Be proud of yourself though! Atleast you hit the vein at all. My poor lab partner got stuck 3 times by me before I ended up getting the vein at all. Advance is a "touch", and is learned by feeling the walls give, and how the ONC travels (ONC=Over-the-needle-catheter). Just breathe :) It will be ok, and you will get better. Practice makes perfect, right?

Smile, it makes you feel better

BrandyBSN

[peaceful2100, BSN, RN]

Thanks Brandy! Last night I practice with the tourniquet on my little brother well he is not that little he just turned 20 and I am almost 22 but he is still my little brother. At least I now know how to properly put on the tourniquet after practicing it on my leg and then my brother's arm. I know things like this take time and that is why I should not get so uptight over this and I did my favorite thing last night to calm my mind, body and soul. That was took a bath, had a nice cup of lemon herbal green tea and listened to some soothing Jazz music.