IV Starts

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in ED, House Supervisor, IT.

Who starts IV's on the floor? (not including peds)

How many attempts before you have someone else try?

When do you call the house supervisor?

If you see an AC will you try?

Finally... To see how honest people are..

How many don't even try and pass it on?:)

Thanks

Hank

Specializes in LDRP; Education.

Hmmm

Let's see..we start our own IVs.

I attempt x2 or x3 before getting someone else - depending on the situation.

I don't call the house supervisor - we'd call the Anesthesiologist if we can't get it.

I will use AC (I'm assuming antecubital) as a last resort.

I always try before passing on. Always.

Hi,

Our hospital policy is 2 attempts per IV nurse, then a second perosn is called in to evaluate. THey are to attepmt no more than 2 attempts. IF our team remains unsuccessfull, then we notify the md and he/she makes a decision.

THe ACF area is the last resort for trained IV therapy teams, but the ER and EMTs just love to use this site

We have an IV team for the floor, but in the Units we start our own. Depends on the person as to how many time i try. If it's someone with big huge veins and i can't get an 18 in, i'll go till i get a 20 ga or they get annoyed. Generally i try 3 x. If it's somebody who has no veins i'll try once or twice than ask sombody else to evaluate, if they cant get it we call the iv team, if they cant get it we pressure the md for a TL CVP, especially if they are on frequent blood draws. Most of our house officers are pretty bad at starting IV's so they rarely get called.

We start our own IVs including peds.

x2 attempts per hospital policy.

I avoid AC unless its all I've got.

If there is absolutely nothing to stick, I pass it on.

Specializes in Home Health.

I try 2 or 3 x, like Suzy, we would never call supervisor, we call anesthesia, but more than likely one nurse in the unit could get the stick. I was usually pretty good at IV sticks.

Only time I never tried was heorin addicts or junkies, I would ask them what vein they had left. When they said I have one under my tongue, or between my toes :rolleyes:, I would stick 2 bandaids on and tell them when the doc came to tell them I tried twice. :devil:

Specializes in Emergency, Trauma.

We start our own IVs ( ER )

Will stick twice, rarely three x

Never call house supervisor, we've got two or three nurses who can ALWAYS get the hard ones

No problem with using the AC- we use it a lot in the ER

I always try if I can find any kind of vein- many pts have great feet/ankle veins even if none in upper extremities- a last resort of course, but when you're desperate....

Specializes in Med-Surg Nursing.

No IV team at my hospital either! I try 2 or 3 times, then ask another RN. If that person can't get it then we call the supervisor. The one on nights is an excellent IV starter! Sometimes a doc will say, Have an ICU nurse do it. Well guess what, I am the ICU nurse now. IV starts was a tough skill to become competent at but I actually enjoy it now and have gotten pretty good at it too!

I can always get them

There are few that I have not been able to do.....

cannot take care of foot problems.... ie... ingrown toenails but I can hit a vein

Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

I THINK our newest hospital policy states, 2 attempts, then call for the most experienced nurse on the floor (or charge nurse); if he/she can't get it in another 2 tries, then call the doc--time for a CVL!!!

I'm on a vascular surgical unit -- my patients veins, are usually the worst. I'll try two times max -- that's our protocal -- then we ask one of our peers to try. If I can't feel (forget even see) a vein, and if my peer can't either -- then I will call IV therapy. I'd rather place the site myself so that I can draw labs from them on admission, have the patient not have to wait for IV antbx., etc....it's just some of these patients have such poor veins.

I usually only try the stick twice before passing it on to someone else. I'm not the greatest IV starter & if I know the person is a hard stick I may pass it on before even trying. The LVNs in my facility may star IVs if certified.

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