Starting my first IV

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I noticed my pts arm looked a little red and was warm at her IV site, so I called the nurse I was working with to come and take a look. I've never seen a "live" infiltration. Well, she took one look and said "That'll have to be changed."

This was an elderly lady with small veins, so the nurse asked me if I have done my first stick yet. I told her no. She said that this pt wouldn't probably be the best one to try on. I wasn't too disappointed, since...hey...aren't we all a little nervous about our first "nursey" things? We'd all like to get a nice big "river" vein for our first attempt. So I offered to get her supplies. She sat next to the pt and I opened all of her equipment. She was palpating her veins and looked at me and said, "you haven't done an IV right?" I said no. "Are you supposed to?" I said yes. She got up and offered me the throne! I didn't even have time to be nervous! And guess what??? I got it right away! First try! That puppy was patent and flushed easily! I love these milestones! Now, hopefully history repeats itself, again and again (for the sake of my pts!).

Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
Please, those of you that are/are considering practicing on your spouses, be very careful or reconsider this. Our school doesn't allow us to practice on anyone outside of class/clinical and for good reason. The instructors aren't around to supervise you and let you know if you are making a mistake. Please don't take offense to this word of caution, but be very careful. There could be academic repercussions (sp?) as well for doing things outside of class, in our school that is grounds for dismissal. Please be careful. :) If you do intend to use someone to practice on, be sure to get permission from your instructor first and if they don't grant you permission, then don't do it. Please!

Sorry for being a pain, but it is an important point.

I think anything you do on your own time with the person's permission is fine. How can they dismiss you for doing something to your spouse?

Our school tells us not to do them in the lab on the school's property. That makes them liable for what happens, but as far as doing it in one's own house,that is another story.

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Specializes in NICU.
I think anything you do on your own time with the person's permission is fine. How can they dismiss you for doing something to your spouse?

Our school tells us not to do them in the lab on the school's property. That makes them liable for what happens, but as far as doing it in one's own house,that is another story.

Our instructor found out that one of the students in our class got multiple syringes from the pharmacy and injected her spouse several times prior to the injection check-off. She did not know who it was (nor did I, thank goodness because that would be an ethical dilemma), so did not take action, but warned the entire class that this can cause a sterile abcess which would have to be treated by a Doctor. She also mentioned that we would be in 'serious trouble' if any of us were caught giving any type of therapy/practicing unsupervised. She did ok me to go give flu shots with our local health nurse, but she also said that I would be acting under the health nurse's license since she would not be there to supervise and yes, that I needed to get permission even to do that.

I suppose every school is different, but I would just caution each individual to check with the school prior to practicing anything. Better to be safe than sorry - it would be awful to miss out on nursing school because of something like this.

Like I said, I don't want to offend anybody or put anybody on the defensive, I just want people to be aware so that nobody gets into trouble. After all, we all want to be here to become nurses! :)

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Specializes in NICU/L&D, Hospice.

Thanks everyone! I was suprised to see so many responses!

I would like to give a heads up for all you first timers that have only been able to practice on those freaky body parts in suitcases (that's how our's are in lab). When I went to stick the needle in, there was a lot of resistance! It wasn't near as easy to get the needle through as when you give an injection. I thought it would go in easy, but I kept pushing, and pushing. My nurse (who was fantastic!) had me do a demo on a glove 1st (of course wasted it). She laid the glove down on the bedside table and had me guide the needle into the glove. You shouldn't be going through both sides, so the needle should end up on the inside of the glove. She said that is about how far you need to go (of course, it could be different depending on the vein location). For some reason, that procedure really helped. You may want to try it if you have time at clinical or lab.

It sure was a great feeling. I feel more nursey everyday.

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Specializes in NICU.

Awesome Woogy - I will have to give that a shot when we get that far. That sounds like a great idea! Thanks! I am nervous and excited about getting into the IV part. It's coming up so quickly, just around the corner. ;)

Take care & best of luck!

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Don't you start iv's in most areas of nursing, at least in the hospital? That's where we're starting iv's (at clinicals) - my school's policy prohibits students from practicing iv's on each other or anyone else...too bad, because the floor I'm on right now has awesome nurses who have offered to let us practice on them, but the instructor said no way.

not necessarily. When I had surgery this summer they didn't start IV's on the surgical floor, you got them in the preop holding area

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Congrats woogy!!!! It's an awesome feeling isn't it? The only thing that really felt better was the first IV I put in all by myself as an RN. Two days after I passed (I was still working as a tech) my supervisor took my hand and told me I was an RN now...I was going to try and get an IV on a person noone else could get. I got it first try. I almost cried I was so excited. Good luck to you!!!!!

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I have TINY veins - frequently, actual nurses/phlebotomists are unable to find one in the first arm they try when an MD asks for blood tests. I always joke that it's a good thing I never aspired to be a heroin addict...SO how miserable am I going to be once nursing school starts this summer? Am I going to be a human pincushion?

haha! I feel the same way, my veins are so tiny and I hate dealing with it every time I give blood! But I always give blood every 56 days, or whatever it is.. The first time I gave blood was horrible! I just turned 17 (last year) and I was scared to death (normally I am not afraid of needles or anything like taht at all, but this is different and I had never experienced it.) and the guy who was going to do it's hands were shaking really bad, which made me even more nervous. So as soon as I feel a prick in my arm, he goes, "WHOOPS!" UGH NOT the thing I want to hear as I'm laying on the bed with a tube coming out of my arm! I was like "WHAT?!" So he goes, "I just made a small mistake.. Everything is OK though. I just went through your vein!" I mean I know it was just an accident but don't say "WHOOPS" until it's over! My arm felt fine but they had me ice it for a while afterwards. I was about to leave and a lady yells to me, "Oh wait, sorry we can't let you leave with the ice pack, it's bad publicity and it will scare the people in the parking lot!" I felt like saying, "Maybe you shouldn't hire people who require us to have ice packs then!" I know it was a mistake that a lot of people probably make and it's not that big of a deal to me, but come on, bad publicity?! You did it! If you are going to go through people's veins let them atleast have an ice pack! I had a HUGE bruise all over my entire arm. It went from above where they stuck me and about midway down my arm. I seriously have trouble EVERY time I give blood, but now I just expect it.. The next time the lady goes, "I don't really feel comfortable doing it on her because her vein is so tiny.." And I totally appreciate the honestly, I'd rather her tell me then try it. But her co-worker goes, "Oh just do it!" I felt like saying, "No, please don't!" But the RN on duty came over and did it on one of the side veins in my arm, without a problem. I guess it would have been better practice if she did it on me though..

Sorry I know this doesn't really have much to do with inserting IV's :)

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not necessarily. When I had surgery this summer they didn't start IV's on the surgical floor, you got them in the preop holding area
Yes, I realize that there are places where you won't normally start an i.v. (hence the word most in my reply); however, maybe I'm wrong in assuming that you won't spend your entire educational time in those areas....and, an already established i.v. can infiltrate on any floor. I wish you luck and much success.
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Specializes in cardiac med-surg.

yeah woogy. that's terrific.

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Also, if the original IV site from pre-op or ER is impaired, reddened, infected.. you have to start a new one. At least that is what we are taught. We are taught to check IV sites as part of our physical assessment.

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Specializes in Home Health.
Don't you start iv's in most areas of nursing, at least in the hospital? That's where we're starting iv's (at clinicals) - my school's policy prohibits students from practicing iv's on each other or anyone else...too bad, because the floor I'm on right now has awesome nurses who have offered to let us practice on them, but the instructor said no way.

Both of the hospitals in my area have IV teams that cover the entire hospital. If an IV needs to be placed/replaced, the IV team is called and we just wait for them to get to the floor and do it. My school doesn't teach us how to do IV insertions or draw blood. I'm not sure if the ER nurses do their own or not, but you would think if it was an emergency they wouldn't want to wait for the IV team to show up.

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