Am I the only one that's done this?

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Has anyone else attempted to perform a blood draw or IV on themselves for practice? I'm asking for a friend ;)

Specializes in Emergency.

Nope. I prefer to be opposite of the business end.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, orthopedics, urology.

Yes. I started IV's on fellow nursing students, too. I mean, in class the instructors emphasized empathy and understanding what a patient is going through during a procedure. We were given kits and IV NS and were told that IV skills are important for our future careers as nurses. Then they tell us not to practice on each other.

How crazy is that? ;)

In all seriousness it was very messy.

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Curious as to how the people who do this obtained the equipment. Because they don't sell it at WalMart. So i would have to assume it's stolen from one's employer, right?

When I was in nursing school we had to buy lab bags that had all the supplies we needed for the semester. If we were covering IV starts that semester, the supplies were included in the bag. Maybe that's how the OP got the supplies?

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In addition, my nursing school required us to purchase a package of supplies to practice with in lab, and we used maybe 25% of it. Perhaps OP has some supplies left over, as well.

We were required to do this for our IV certification class where I attended because they wanted to make sure we didn't lift the supplies from work. Either that or supply a letter from our employer stating that they had given us the supplies.

The kit that we purchased was clearly not sterile supplies though (stated all over the packaging). I would hate to think that someone would use those on themselves, though people amaze me with what they do.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Curious as to how the people who do this obtained the equipment. Because they don't sell it at WalMart. So i would have to assume it's stolen from one's employer, right?

You can actually buy bags of NaCl, and all the IV equipment legally on the internet from legitimate medical supply companies. Just google it. NaCl is not considered a medication legally so no prescription is required. When I first found this out I was thinking about buying a case of fluid and tubing etc.... for the zombie apocalypse prepper kit.

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I would never practice on myself. I remember when I had to have labs drawn every month for a medication that I was taking. My hospital did lab draws for Quest so I would go in early before my shift. Apparently, I'm not the easiest stick and the phlebotomist asked if I wanted to draw it myself so that she wouldn't have to stick me several times to find a vein. I have no problem being stuck several times by someone else...but sticking myself....makes me think IV drug user, cannot do it!

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How can one draw blood or start an IV on yourself. You need two hands to start an IV on someone else. I can't imagine the issues with starting one on yourself. I couldn't do it anyway because I really hate needles. I hate small intradermal needles for TB tests, I hate big long needles used for nerve blocks, and I really hate IVs.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Uh, no. WHY would I? Or anyone else for that matter?

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Attempting an invasive procedure on myself.. is not part of the deal.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I started an IV on myself in nursing school, also put down an NG on myself, I'm not going to expect someone to let me do something to them that I would never do to myself.

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IVs don't scare me at all. I've let many people start them in my hands and arms--I have really good veins but sometimes inexperienced people have trouble even with really good veins. I've personally hit my left AC many, many times and occasionally practiced on my hand. I've even tied a tourniquet around my left arm with one hand but I can definitely do it without. I've never hung fluids on myself; however, I have started IVs on coworkers and hung fluids on them. I am not at a hospital so there are fewer restrictions, I guess. It is not forbidden for us to do so.

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put down an NG on myself

Gahhh no. Nuh uh. No. I could see doing an IV, but I feel nauseated just thinking about this one.

I feel for my patients that have to go through it, but not interested in seeing how that one feels.

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