Blew a vein during clinical

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Hello all,

I just wanted to rant about my OB clinical day and how stressful it was. A charge nurse came to me and told me to get my professor to draw labs on a triage patient today. Ok cool! Practice for me. I talked through it with my professor since it has been 8 months since I've started an IV or drew labs. I haven't had much time or opportunity to practice on a weekly basis in nursing school so I felt a little on the rusty side today. As soon as we walked into the patient's room I could immediately feel that I wasn't wanted because I'm a student and they were probably expecting someone with experience to draw her blood. Totally understandable. I would feel the same way. I couldn't see any of her veins with a tourniquet on and could barely feel the two veins that were parallel to one another. My instructor said "oooh, this is a good one here" and I had to go by what I was feeling since I none of her veins were popping. The problem was her vein curved to the left and I had to go in straight, then angle the needle to the other side. This was only my 2nd time drawing blood since last semester in nursing school (We had 4 months off in the summer) and I feel like a total failure! I punctured the other side of her vein even when I tried to go at a certain angle and my professor called me out in front of the patient saying, "you blew the vein. Ma'am would you like for me to stick you this time?" She said, "Yes, please." I was so embarrassed and still feel like a horrible human being because I absolutely did not intend to do that. I really feel terrible because I feel like the patient and her family hates me and my professor thinks I'm stupid. I know I need to practice more but I'm literally terrified to stick someone else again. To make matters worse, I had to use an 18 gauge needle to draw all of the labs, so I'm sure it didn't feel to good!! I'm afraid to keep practicing because I don't want to hurt someone, but I know it's the only way to get really good at something. Has anyone had something similar happen to them and can relate? I feel like I don't have support in my nursing program either.

Specializes in Neuroscience.

It's okay not to get the stick. I'm the go-to person on the floor for IVs, and there are times I can't get one. Anytime someone can't get a stick, they've probably blown the vein.

I didn't even get to try an IV or a blood draw in nursing school. The real learning will come on the floor when you're a licensed nurse, so don't sweat this small stuff!

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Thank you all for your advice I really appreciate it :)

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You're a bully and should not reply to anyone's posts with that kind of attitude.

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"You blew the vein" is not calling you out. It is a statement of fact. And certainly not rant-worthy.

You're a bully and should not reply to anyone's post with that kind of attitude.

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You're a bully and should not reply to anyone's post with that kind of attitude.

I don't necessarily agree with her post, but there is nothing about that post that reflects bullying. Come on.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
"You blew the vein" is not calling you out. It is a statement of fact. And certainly not rant-worthy.

You have 40 years of experience as a nurse per your profile. Why is it necessary for you to make this statement? The OP is a student, of course this is a problem for someone with next to no experience, and with the instructor calling her out in front of the patient, I can almost guarantee it was an uncomfortable situation.

Who are you to determine what is rant-worthy? Your attitude is honestly very frustrating.

OP, this is not uncommon at all. If your school has a lab, then grab one of the mannequin arms and practice. It will not be the same as having an actual arm but will let you be more comfortable practicing. Also, do you have to practice with your instructor, could you do it around a nurse that will encourage you to learn.

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You have 40 years of experience as a nurse per your profile. Why is it necessary for you to make this statement? The OP is a student, of course this is a problem for someone with next to no experience, and with the instructor calling her out in front of the patient, I can almost guarantee it was an uncomfortable situation.

Who are you to determine what is rant-worthy? Your attitude is honestly very frustrating.

Venting frustration and embarrassment is one thing. A rant is another thing altogether. I don't blame the OP for being embarrassed and frustrated. But it's not deserving of a rant imo. The instructor did make a statement of fact. None of us here know how she said it. Tone of voice, body language, volume, facial expression, all of those things can make that statement sound anything from an "oops" type of statement to a full on "you're completely stupid and incompetent" type of accusation. Since none of us were there and the OP, in her frustration of the moment, probably couldn't rely on her own recollection of it, we cannot say with any certainty whether or not this is something for the OP to focus on for the ages.

I suspect that she took it too much to heart and needs to understand that all students make errors of this kind, that faculty would not AT ALL be surprised that a student wasn't successful at an IV start, and that there is no expectation of a student mastering this task while in school. Knowing these things, the OP can move on and make this a vague memory of a completely unimportant event.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
Venting frustration and embarrassment is one thing. A rant is another thing altogether. I don't blame the OP for being embarrassed and frustrated. But it's not deserving of a rant imo.

Knowing these things, the OP can move on and make this a vague memory of a completely unimportant event.

Not deserving of a rant? Who are you to say how people should feel about a situation. To you it may mean nothing but you're not in her shoes.

For you to call this unimportant is highly dismissive.

She is a student and things you consider unimportant may mean a lot to her. Nursing school is that stressful.

This is supposed to be a place where people feel supported not judged.

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Not deserving of a rant? Who are you to say how people should feel about a situation.

I am allowed to state my opinion that it's not worthy of a rant, that's "who I am." You can't prevent me from doing that. Vent, yes, rant, no. MY OPINION. If you don't like it, too bad.

To you it may mean nothing but you're not in her shoes.

I've been in her shoes. Many times.

For you to call this unimportant is highly dismissive.

I didn't say it was not important. I said after she moves on, the passage of time will make it a memory of an unimportant event. Compared to what is ahead of her in terms of being a first year nurse and other stressful events associated with the job, yes, the memory of an instructor saying "you blew a vein" will seem like very small potatoes indeed. I can guarantee it.

This is supposed to be a place where people feel supported not judged.

The OP was not judged. She was told that what she did was not anything to feel bad about...that as a student it is expected...to not dwell on something like a failed IV start...that we all fail to start IVs, even as professional nurses...

Nowhere was she castigated for making a mistake. She was simply told not to let it derail her, as in the big picture, it means nothing as to whether or not she can be a great student, and later, a great nurse.

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