It's just one of those things that have become irritating. When I was a new grad I wanted to learn how to do my job the best I could. So if I needed to ask someone to start an IV, I was in there watching the technique. And I became good at starting IVs. Not magical, but good. Now, if I start an IV for anyone, the word goes out I'm good at IVs and every nurse wants me to start their IVs. One person tries to schmooze me with how I'm the greatest she's ever seen; I've seen this RN start one once in 3 years and her hand was shaking like DTs. Wel I'm at least better than that I admit.
Now, when I'm charge, about half the RNs on the floor don't even try to start their own, and if I ask them, did you try once? I get the standard response: "No she's a hard stick and I know I'll just poke her and make her mad."
I guess I'm venting now. I just want people to learn how to do a clinical skill, it's not that hard to learn the technique, but I'm thinking of 2 nurses right now who are way too lazy to want to do that. Just another annoying thing I guess.
I am okay, not great with IV's. I look for a vein; if I can only find one or none, I get another nurse. Some days I can hit every vein I try, some days I can't hit any. I would love to be better, but it's a fact of life that I'm not. As a patient, would you rather be stuck once or twice, or a half-dozen times? I do what I think is best for the patient, and sometimes that means I don't try.
I work in ICU at my facility....no IV team. I'm pretty good with a needle and RARELY have to have someone else start my IV's for me. I DO However get called to go all over the hospital to start their IV's for them. The acute Detox unit RN's NEVER start their own IV's...oh, I'm just not good at it! WELL, ya ain't gonna get good at it if ya don't at least TRY every now and again!!! I'm in ICU, there are times when I am too busy caring for MY patients to go over to your unit to do YOUR job!!!
Unfortunately, administration ALLOWS this behavior to continue!
I was a phlebotomist for 5 years before nursing school, and never missed an IV in clinicals (even on a patient some of the staff nurses were afraid to stick :)) But for a while after I came out of orientation I became skittish, mostly either because I had a renal patient with a crappy selection of veins to begin with, or just because my group of patients was omgsofreakinbusy enough without having to go start an IV. But, we have some excellent charge nurses who broke me from that soon enough, and as I became more comfortable with my patient loads, prioritizing, etc., I began making myself at least give them a shot. Now, I even offer to try some of the other hard IV sticks on the floor and have become somewhat of a "go-to" person myself lol. Unfortunately I do also know some of the nurses take advantage of someone who is willing to help, and it sucks, but it is a reality.
It's just one of those things that have become irritating. When I was a new grad I wanted to learn how to do my job the best I could. So if I needed to ask someone to start an IV, I was in there watching the technique. And I became good at starting IVs. Not magical, but good. Now, if I start an IV for anyone, the word goes out I'm good at IVs and every nurse wants me to start their IVs. One person tries to schmooze me with how I'm the greatest she's ever seen; I've seen this RN start one once in 3 years and her hand was shaking like DTs. Wel I'm at least better than that I admit.
Now, when I'm charge, about half the RNs on the floor don't even try to start their own, and if I ask them, did you try once? I get the standard response: "No she's a hard stick and I know I'll just poke her and make her mad."
I guess I'm venting now. I just want people to learn how to do a clinical skill, it's not that hard to learn the technique, but I'm thinking of 2 nurses right now who are way too lazy to want to do that. Just another annoying thing I guess.
I think I have very good IV skills, but I CANNOT for the life of me start a #22 with the catheters my hospital uses. I CAN'T, they are too soft, I have no touch for them, I blow the vein every time. So, if I see no recourse other than the hand, yeah, I go to my charge. Why cause the pt. pain when I know I won't be successful?
I work in ICU and with the exception of some fairly new nurses, everyone is pretty good at IV starts. We usually have a resource nurse, and when we're busy, the resource nurse gets to start all of the IV's!
just an aside here ......I was shocked reading here that there are any facilities that allow non-licensed people to insert IVs. Especially when I have worked in places were they only allow the "IV/PICC team" (a nurses only team) to put in all IVs. I guess when they allowed all floor nurses throughout the hospital to place them they had way too many cases of Phlebitis, infection, etc. Having techs do Phlebotomy is different then IVs-- being that the IV stays in for a period of time. Can't say that when I am a patient I would ever let someone who was not a nurse put in my IV (other then a paramedic, but that is different--they have the training.)
The majority of the hospitals I've worked at allowed specially trained PCT's aka nurse's aides to insert IV's and perform blood draws. This does not scare me at all. If any of you go to an ER 9 times out of 10 it's the ER tech that is putting in PIV's. They can't give meds through, only insert and do a small saline flush.
Seriously I don't see what the issue is non licensed personnel inserting PIV's if they have been trained.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
I love starting IVs. When another nurse has a hard time, or doesn't think she can do it, she'll come out and ask for a volunteer. There are usually a few nurses who are willing. No big deal.
Ellekat2
81 Posts
I am okay, not great with IV's. I look for a vein; if I can only find one or none, I get another nurse. Some days I can hit every vein I try, some days I can't hit any. I would love to be better, but it's a fact of life that I'm not. As a patient, would you rather be stuck once or twice, or a half-dozen times? I do what I think is best for the patient, and sometimes that means I don't try.