Am I a ethical freak?! Should I be concerned?

[Kitkat1212]

I know this is probably going to get some weird hate, but I have had the opportunity to practice IV starts on my mom who has chronic illness and has IV start kits that the doctor sends -- My dad usually starts them for her.

My kind mother told me that she would allow me to start an IV on her so that I could gain experience for the future. (Brave person!!)

After failing to start one on her numerous times and blowing too many of her veins for my comfort, I decided to give myself a try and stick myself. I actually succeeded after a few missed attempts. I am still a student, and we have a policy about not starting IVs on patients -- That is in-hospital training, however I used my own kits to start a IV line in my own home. Although this isn't truly an "ethical" concern, did I do something dangerous? Should I have not done this? I did not infuse anything, just drew back a tiny bit of blood to ensure that I was in the vein properly, but I still feel a bit odd ha!!!!

What do you all think? Would you ever do this?

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Weird, yep. Not dangerous, you can do anything you want to yourself...but showing up in clinical with obvious venous puncture sites might be a career-ending move.

I don't think it's a good idea to be wasting your mom's supplies on yourself. She's unlikely to complain to the BoN that you are exceeding your student scope of practice and you're not in a regulated facility. :)

[JBudd, MSN]

Never stick anyone more than twice; leave veins for the next one. Especially on somebody with chronic needs getting frequent sticks. As far as on yourself? yeah that to me is weird but then I had difficult giving myself Lovenox.

As GreenTea said, you really don't want to have to explain track marks on yourself.

[Dranger]

In college and in the Army we used to start IVs on ourselves after a night of drinking. It wasn't odd then.