Who is REALLY GOOD with needles?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi, My name is Adria and I am a student, I will be starting clinicals in August. I was wondering if anyone could explain the process of giving shots, drawing blood, and putting in IV's. Also, Can anyone tell me any tricks of the trade to make these processes virtually painless for the patient. I am very nervous of not being good at these tasks, and am afraid of causing the paitent any significant pain. I am somewhat wary of needles, so this is something that I want to overcome and become really good at. Please help all of you excellent needle experts!!!

Thanks

The nurses at my kids pediatrician's office always tell little ones to blow out fast (as if they are blowing up a balloon) when getting immunization shots. Works great- my kids never felt a thing!

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Also- try not to let the patient see the actual needle. When we were in phlebotomy rotation in med tech school, that was part of the training. Beware of the big manly football player types.....they usually are the first to faint...:)

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there are many many skills to be achieved in nursing school. i noticed that the ones that you mentioned all involved needles. do you have anxiety surrounding needles. many things will cause pt. pain, but the key is to learn to do the skill, so as to cause the least amount of pain, for the shortest duration. plus, take your cues from the pt. some want to know every step that you are doing, and others just want you to do it. some want the tape ripped off slowly, others quickly, ask them. let them have some control.

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Quote
Originally posted by Liann

Also- try not to let the patient see the actual needle. When we were in phlebotomy rotation in med tech school, that was part of the training. Beware of the big manly football player types.....they usually are the first to faint...:)

Yep, the bigger they are the harder they fall. :rolleyes:

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Don't worry about causing pain. Some patients will tell you it was nothing, others will start caterwauling before you touch them.

This is very ture....I was drawing blood on a grown man. I simply touched him with my finger, feeling for a vien before even preping him he screamed bloody murder. Lucky for me he had his head turned, though I managed not to laugh out loud I am sure it showed on my face. He carried on for about 5 min before I was able to tell him it was just my finger and that the needle was still capped. As far as tips the best thing I can say is fast (but not jabbing) and smooth. Add to that a lot of practice and you'll do great :)

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Specializes in CCU (Coronary Care); Clinical Research.

Lots of practice..when you get on the floor tell the nurses that if they have IV starts that you want to do them...be eager to try new things...i found when i was first learning that it was good to do some on my own, then watch an experienced person do a couple, it reinforces technique, lets you see something that might work better....try hot packs if no veins, some people like tourniqets (ok, i can't spell), some like BP cuffs, find what works for you...also remember some says are good and some days you can't hit a garden hose...as you practice hopefully you will have more good days...

When we first learned SQ injections, my partner was so nervous that she starting crying as i uncapped the needle...and it wasnt me she was afraid of ( hope)...she was nervous about actually going next...when it was her turn to inject, the teacher had to push the plunger in for her...lol...she is fine now, an ob nurse...she can start ivs etc with the best of them...

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When I was having my Hep B vaccinations, my GP showed me how he gives IMs so they hurt less - he overloads the touch receptors by gently prodding and rolling the flesh in the area to be injected immediately before injection. In theory, when you inject, your pressure and pain receptors get so confused that you don't feel much of anything at all. Worked for me at the time, and I've used that technique with a lot of success since :)

One small thing to remember - after giving s/c (sq) anticoagulants like enoxoparin or certoparin, don't rub! They hurt enough as it is without having a massive bruise to boot, even though some people will mark regardless.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

frannybee, good old gate theory.

I find that abdominal sc (heparin etc) don't hurt as bad when you use a 3 cc syringe with a 25g instead of a tb one. I guess Lovenox still comes prefilled with that dull needle?

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We use Clexane, but yeah, prefilled TB syringes. I had a Clexane injection in my arm when I was hospitalised and the nurse must have hit muscle - I had a massive bruise and knot for 8 wks afterwards. I had cholecystitis and warned her if she tried to stick me in the belly I'd be forced to strangle her with my IV tubing.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Did she use the flabby backside of the arm? (At least MY arm is flabby there). The literature doesn't really encourage this but I never had much bruising there when I did it. And ITA GB surgery and tummy shots are a NO.

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Yup, my arms are as flabby as they come. I'm not really sure how it happened, I don't think she did anything wrong, I was just unlucky. I didn't have the surgery - too fat for keyhole and too sick for small incision.

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Quote
Originally posted by Liann

Also- try not to let the patient see the actual needle. Beware of the big manly football player types.....they usually are the first to faint...:)

KABOOM!! medium-smiley-110.gif

I also agree with P_RN....wear gloves, wear gloves, wear gloves.

I see so many nurses giving shots, etc. w/o gloves and it sickens

me because I know they know what kind of nasties they could get!

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