Clinical Nightmare

Published

Specializes in Family planning, med-surg.

I am almost done with nursing school but only started one IV, and it was last term. I begged my instructor to put me in a unit where I could get IV experience. I was doing well with the patients and nurses that day and when the chance came to do the IV my instrucor came to watch. I began to get nervous with her there and would double check with her about my technique, which irritated her. My hands started to shake and it was very obvious to the patient I was nervous. I missed the vein, my instructor tried and missed, and another nurse got it. My instructor pulled me to the nurses station and ripped me a new one infront of all the nurses. She didn't understand why I was so inexperienced and I realized she doesn't really pay attention to what goes on, that I had been telling her for weeks that I had little IV experience. She wasn't interested in any excuses, from her point of view I should have been prepared anyway, but it is hard when every unit does things differently. She even did it the wrong way according to the unit policy. Now I am scared about getting a bad reputation when all I needed was somebody to help show me how.:angryfire

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

IVs are hard (and doing anything in front of an instructor is like torture) - I did two my entire time in nursing school. If you've only had a bit of practice with them, you're not going to be perfect at doing them or get them on the first try. What I don't understand is the instructor being angry with you for going through technique verbally before doing them - this is what I had to do through nursing school with new procedures, as well as in my internship/orientation before doing them. It's important to be able to verbalize the steps.

You'll have people, including instructors, who don't pay attention to your needs when it comes to learning. It sucks, but those people are out there. I had a woman who was not my preceptor (covered for her one day when mine was sick) make fun of me to other nurses (when I was in earshot) when I asked her where to document something I'd never documented before on the flowsheet. You just have to learn to ignore them and seek out those people that really will help you learn and want you to learn.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

That instuctor does not get any points for sensitivity - or much sense either. If SHE could not do it why was she bawling you out? Anyway, new hires are not expected to be expert in anything and at our facility we train new nurses by putting them with nurses who will guide them, not goad them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

you need some perspective on this. there is a reason that only rns did iv therapy for years. this is a skill that takes a long time to perfect. i am a master in it. however, it took me probably 6 months, and this was starting 2 ivs a day, before i began to feel like i knew what in the blazes i was doing. it took years before i felt competent. when i worked on iv teams i started about 30 ivs in every 8 hour day for, i figure, a total of about 50,000 ivs just during the time i worked as an iv therapist on an iv team. i've trained many other nurses and medical students to start ivs. it takes a lot of practice to successfully hit the target vein.

i can't help you if you have an instructor who belittles you in front of others or doesn't follow facility policies. that's a behavior issue. but, i'm pretty sure that your reputation won't be damaged. nurses are just too needed and any other nurses who witnessed her tirade recognize a belittler for who they are.

remember the first time you got behind the wheel of a car to drive? were you as good as you are now? do you remember the first time you tried to ride a 2-wheeler bike? did you do it perfectly without falling? can you remember back far enough to when you were learning to tie your shoe laces and if you "got it" the first time you were shown how it was done? compare putting a rigid piece of steel into another pipe on a first try which you can't even see because it is under the skin with all of those. there will be plenty of other opportunities that will come your way. there are links to videos on how to start an iv on post #5 of this sticky thread: https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/any-good-iv-127657.html - any good iv therapy or nursing procedure web sites

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion