i gave my first injections!!

[summers hope]

For those of you that are scared to give shots to your first real person, i just wanted to help ease your fear. i have anxiety to begin with, so it was a real challenge for me to get used to the idea!! last week we practiced on those cushions and dumbies, then we were told that we had to go to the local nursing home and give all the residents their flu vacs:bluecry1: . we got there yesterday and while waiting, i felt my anxiety sore and then when it was time for me to go to my patient. i went and did vitals first, came back and drew up the vaccine. AND THEN; it was time!!! I applied the principal that a paramedic once told me."you just go for it because you have to". although this wasn't an emergency, it helped. i felt so calm and when my instructor counted to three, I just did it and i didn't even shake!!! then they had me do a tb on him and it went the same, then i wound up giving another lady her flu shot and it went well, too. the only thing i can figure(other than the thought of my paramedic friend), is that once you're there with the patient, you just know you have to do it and you get this calm feeling over you. well, I hope this helps. :) summers hope

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Congrats on getting past a big fear for many nursing students. Keep up the good work.

[ShockerGirl07]

awesome! I was pretty nervous too giving my first one! My first actual shot into a person was a classmate in lab, but its so fun! I gave one in the hospital last night and I sort of feel bad for enjoying it but i guess its good i love what i do!! keep up the good attitude - thats good advice your friend gave!

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

Congrats....I can really empathize...when I watched the videos before giving my first injections and checking out a month or so ago, all I got was eebie jeebies and I didn't know how I'd EVER actually stick a person with a needle....I was amazed at how easily I adapted with my first 2 subqs, and then subsequent IMs....haven't done any TB's yet, but I'm sure my time will come!!

Now, to get past my first foley -- ugh.....

[ILoveNursing82]

LOL....Congrats! Can't wait to give my 1st injection!!!!!!!!!!

[Glimmer]

We did our first "real" injections as well this week... except we went to a home for disable children to do Flu vaccs and PPDs... the flu vac was pretty easy... straight forward, etc. The PPD was harder just because almost all the children had severe contractors and had many other conditions that made it so you almost had to stand on your head to do anything. I attempted one but could not advance the need ID without going too deep or fear of coming through the skin. Then the child went into a muscle spasm and took care of the problem for me. So, I got to practice on my professor/co-dean of the dept. It really was not that bad. I, too, was a nervous wreck but when it came time it was one of those things where you know that you have to do it.. and the confidence sets in.

All in all our experience, IMO, was EXTREMELY rewarding and a great educational experience. I am happy to finally have a couple of the "firsts" under my belt...

[LadyHazy]

My first injection was on a classmate... That one went only so-so because our clinical instructor was breathing down my neck the whole time! (And the look on my classmate's face was one big OUCH!)

So that made me all the more nervous for my real ones! But then the first one went out really great! It was a bit trickier because we were giving measles vaccines to infants (and I was afraid I would hit a nerve or something since it was my first time and the baby's leg was so small!). But it was great... My hands didn't shake and it went along pretty well... But I must have used a ton of concentration doing that--my forehead was dripping with sweat after!

[Imafloat, BSN, RN]

Way to go!

I was so afraid to give injections before I started nursing school. I did my second clinical on an ortho unit so I got really good and comfortable with injections.