STARTING IVs............OMG..............

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jun 30, 2005

Some schools don't teach it. It all depends on the program.

As for the ones that made a spectabcle, i probably would have replied "To a school where my peers don't fall over themselves asking questions".

z's playa · Jun 30, 2005

We get IV exprerince in 3rd year.

Marie: Really? An RN program w/ no 'IV lessons?" Where are they supposed to learn the skill? At work? Curious.

Z

enfermeraSG · Jun 30, 2005

I always thought that IV lab was part of every nursing program. I know students don't get a lot of experience in school, but they at least are taught how. We get it in our 3rd semester, and students from my school and every school my hospital takes students from start them on clinicals. That would be intimidating to learn how "on the job". I actually want to go back and teach IV labs at schools when I'm done; I have 13 years experience and love to help people learn this skill. SG

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jun 30, 2005

One in this area doesn't, the furthest they go with IV teaching is practicing on a foam rubber arm.

helpinghands, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2005

At my school we had IV lab which consisted of 20 minute explanation and demo. Then about 10 minutes to practice, then return demonstration. Well the foam arm has a vein that is atleast as thick as my pinky! Getting checked off was a breeze! About half of my class had never started an IV on a real arm when we graduated. We did know the steps to the procedure though. Don't worry, you'll catch on! The steps are pretty simple, it just takes practice.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jul 1, 2005

Not to mention all the holes left by previous students on the foam arm just point to the area you need to aim at.

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2005

We learned on a rubber arm and with a computer IV program, which I hated. We can do them in clinicals with our instructor. I can't wait to do one...

Sheri257 · Jul 1, 2005

Wow. Hard to believe there are some schools that don't teach it. We practice on the fake arms, of course, but we also have to practice on each other ... i.e. do the real thing on other students. The school makes us sign liability waivers. Then you have to get checked off in clinical.

:coollook:

HopefulRN2006 · Jul 1, 2005

In our third semester coming up, we are starting on IV's. First we will practice on a rubber arm, then we have to test out on eachother (really put the needle in eachother's vein) in front of an instructor. Once we passed the test out, they expect us to do them at the hospital with our instructor looking on. :uhoh3:

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Jul 1, 2005

We didn't start IVs on one another, but there were ample opportunities to learn IV sticks in clinical with our instructor or our resource nurse (the patient's nurse) there to guide us, so most of us took that route instead.

My school wasn't big on students practicing anything on one another - they actively discouraged it, actually. I believe it was probably a liability thing - we were never asked/forced to sign any waivers, for whatever good that would have done (If you are forced to sign a waiver as a requirement for an educational program, many times the waiver will not hold up in court because it was coerced rather than voluntary...) So when I read about students giving each other shots of saline and practicing this and that one one another, I get a little queasy at the thought and am thankful I did not go to one of those schools.

As for those who made a spectacle of the new nurse - well shame on them. It is their job and their responsiblity to understand that students are exposed to different skills in the clinical setting and that it is up to the hiring facility (and the preceptor) to teach them any procedures they have not yet been exposed to. That is what preceptorships and skills labs are for. Yes, it does seem quite odd that some schools do not cover IV starts at all, but unfortunately that is the way it is and the hospitals need to understand and be prepared for that. Otherwise, they need to require experience for their positions. But to ridicule a new grad because she doesn't have IV experience doesn't really make sense. If you want an experienced nurse - hire one. Don't make a new grad feel bad because she is not one. Shame on them!!

xokelly2 · Jul 1, 2005

Nicely said RN NICU!

I still am kind of suprised that we didn't learn a thing about IVs in school.

WOW I can't believe some schools let you practice on one another.....

Sounds scary to me, hypothetically what we inflict on the patients shouldn't be 'too risky' being a novice where we wouldn't be willing to have it performed on ourselves. It still sounds kind of wierd just because of how they really discourage that kind of practice in my area.

Thanks for all your input guys!!!!

XOKELL