Classmates using you as a pincushion?

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I start nursing school on the 11th (yay!) and have been reading about how everyone is excited, anxious, and nervous about what is to come. I, too, feel the same way and am looking forward to the first day. I read through some of the posts from the thread discussing fear of needles and blood. I just have to ask, is anyone else nervous about having classmates draw your own blood and giving you injections? During orientation in November, we had to sign a form stating that we would allow our classmates to draw blood/give injections on us. I've had experience performing these procedures on dogs and cats, and even though I know humans are different, I don't have a problem with the thought of me learning and performing the procedures on my classmates. However, I am nervous as heck thinking about my future classmates practicing on me. I have experienced my vein collapsing which almost made me pass out, but that was also partly due to the fact that I was dehydrated and the nurse was having a difficult time with my vein due to that.

Is there anyone else, besides me, who has a fear of this? lol I hope I don't get a partner with a shaky hand. We all have to learn somehow, though. :)

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Specializes in Case Management, ICU, Telemetry.

I dont know how I feel about this yet... I am going to go to a private school and I am not sure if this torture is going to be forced apon us or not... I would just ask that I not be paired with the biggest moron in the class.... What was mind boggeling for me was the fact that in clinicals we are going to actually work with real patients... I'm sorry but if I am in the hospital/dr office, I am already in a bad mood because I obviously don't feel good, the last thing that I would want is some "Nurse in Training" to be poking at me and confusing right with left lol.

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We don't do procedures on each other at my school. All my first stuff was on patients

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Specializes in Urgent Care NP, Emergency Nursing, Camp Nursing.

Our school specifically prohibits us from practicing on each other. Something about their insurance coverage.

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Our school also doesn't allow practice on eachother. If you choose to do it outside of the school that is your business but it's not allowed during class.

It seems like a bad idea to me. What if someone doesn't know how to do it properly, what if someone has hard veins to find? I certainly wouldn't wanna go home all black and blue. We learn on our dummy's and then eventually on patients.

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Specializes in NICU.

I think most schools now are leaning away from practicing on each other. I definitely would not have wanted my first experiences to be on those I have to look at everyday, but found that I did alright with the patient's I had!

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Wow, didn't realize that this wasn't a standard for most schools. Now I am really not looking forward to it. Hopefully my school at least has a limit on the number of attempts...

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Specializes in TCU.

We didn't practice on each other at my school either (phew)!

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Specializes in Midwifery, women's health.

To be honest, I would be happy to have practiced on classmates!! Last quarter for injections, we practiced injections on one of those weird pads full of water and then went straight to injecting patients. This week, we're doing IV's and blood draws on the fake arms in the lab and then next week we have to do it on actual patients in the hospital!!!! I already feel sorry for these poor people! I so wish we could practice on each other to get a chance at doing it on a real human being before doing it FOR REAL.

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We are not allowed to practice on each other. In general, I wish we were allowed to, but after seeing some girl panic cross your fingers you have a sane partner.

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I just finished my first semester of school I start second semester next week,,,YEAH! but anyway back to the point WE DID STICK EACHOTHER...we gave 3 injections one IM one trans-dermal and then a SubQ. Its a breeze. I was glad we practiced on each other it helped calm the nerves of sticking our first pt. I knew what to expect. I was scared of how the flesh would feel as the needle was inserted after sticking my lab partner that fear was gone. Also we picked who we wanted to stick so buddy up with a class mate you connect with you will laugh about it later...good luck and congrats on starting your first semester!:yeah:

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Our school also did not allow us to practice on each other. My LPN school used eggplants and oranges...my RN school has special "butts" made up in a box - we called the butts in a box. We were not allowed to start ivs or take blood, both of which are taught by the facilities once you get hired.

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