Clinicals stress me out.

[Rachael12]

I have been on a med/Surg floor for a couple weeks now for clinical. Today I was told to go assist a woman to her chair, so I sat her up in her bed slowly and assisted her with her walker to her chair. As soon as she stood up I realized her IV was bleeding. I had her take a seat and grabbed her nurse. Her IV had slipped out and was bleeding. I held it together while we cleaned her up, but I was emotional after we left the room. Was it my fault? Does that happen often? I felt awful and sick to my stomach.

[Nonyvole, BSN, RN]

IVs come out all the time, for the oddest of reasons. Skin is wet. Skin is too dry. Patient has been playing with the dressing. IV was being temperamental and was barely in.

So unless she had fluids attached to it and you deliberately pulled on the line, then no. Not your fault. You controlled the bleeding and told her nurse, which is exactly what I would expect any student on my unit to do.