Question about nursing school and needles???

jschut, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2002

well sure...

my friend had a huge phobia about sticking others with needles! And guess who got to be her guinea pig? Me...

And you know what? She did great....

So between her being afraid and me being afraid, neither one of us passed out or anything...so we did fine...

and you will too!

Good Luck to ya!

babynursewannab · Aug 23, 2002

I'm right there with you, Ashley.

I can get poked and proded and have given myself up to be a practice pin cushion for phlebotemists-in-training. However, my hand will hit some sort of invisible wall and veer off in the other direction when it comes to me sticking someone else.

go figure.

-Alyssa

Love-A-Nurse · Aug 23, 2002

i still to this day do not like giving sq injections in the abdomen (stomach). each time i do, i have this funny sensation going through my own stomach. i am a bad patient when it comes to being stuck.

Sarahstudent · Aug 23, 2002

I think it's not a question of WILL you get over it but WHEN wil you get over it. As an RN it's an important part of your job. My mom takes Chemo and hates getting stuck 5 or 6 times before the nurse hits a vein. She can tell the ones who aren't confident, they're the ones that give it to her 5 or 6 times before hitting a vein. Advice: go in with confidence and you will do great, lack the confidence and you start second guessing yourself.

OBRN2B · Aug 23, 2002

Sarahstudent is absolutely right! I work as a part-time phlebotomist while I'm going to school and I personally find that if I start doubting myself then the people I stick might as well not have any veins at all because I can never get one. But when I tell myself that I can do it and that I'm the best phlebotomist in town then I never miss! After the first couple of times sticking someone, you won't have a problem with it.

Sleepyeyes · Aug 23, 2002

Originally posted by Sarahstudent
I think it's not a question of WILL you get over it but WHEN wil you get over it. As an RN it's an important part of your job. My mom takes Chemo and hates getting stuck 5 or 6 times before the nurse hits a vein. She can tell the ones who aren't confident, they're the ones that give it to her 5 or 6 times before hitting a vein. Advice: go in with confidence and you will do great, lack the confidence and you start second guessing yourself.

No chance for her to get a port put in and save herself the grief??

studentOH · Aug 23, 2002

You'll get over it...I always feel for the veins without looking to practice, actually works pretty well. I'll always make sure i've got one before I stick, however .

Brian

sfsn · Aug 24, 2002

Don't worry, Ashley. You'll be fine.

When I was first learning to stick people (I started with sq's as a medical assistant), I *literally* had nightmares about it. I was so scared! But really, before you actually do it it seems a lot scarier than it is.

Most of my friends in nursing school were scared too, but they did it and realized it was not a big deal. I had the same experience. The idea may be creepy, but when it comes down to it you just treat it like any other skill and do it. Realize that almost everybody is worried about doing it the first time, but it's a relief when you get it over with!

You'll do great! The more confidence you have in yourself, the better!

ashleyh_84 · Aug 24, 2002

Thank you very much everyone!!! That really does help!! And i know what you mean sarahstudent my boyfriend currently has to take chemo and ive seen those nurses stick him like 10 times before they get another nurse in there to try it