grrrrrrrrrr.........

I actually feel sorry for the nurse here. Hmm. I'm gonna need a minute to digest this one and figure out exactly why. I'll get back to you.

While in an ideal world you start distal and work your way up, it's not always possible or feasible or even desirable. And I might put the tourniquet on first, too, to give the veins a chance to fill, while I set up. I don't think those two things would have left me seething. If I were concerned, I might have politely asked the nurse her rationale. It sounds like you were looking for things to upset you.

After all was said and done, she was about out the door when she turned around and said "IV starts aren't anything to brag about...I've been a nurse for 27 years".

I think this lady should be applauded for her restraint.

While in an ideal world you start distal and work your way up, it's not always possible or feasible or even desirable. And I might put the tourniquet on first, too, to give the veins a chance to fill, while I set up. I don't think those two things would have left me seething. If I were concerned, I might have politely asked the nurse her rationale. It sounds like you were looking for things to upset you.

I guess I'm just going by things I was taught in school...my dad has very nice veins, and there was no reason why she couldn't have chosen a proximal site. Also, we were taught to get our items ready before applying the tourniquet to decrease the amount of discomfort to the patient.

I wouldn't say that I was looking for things to upset me; it's just that this nurse wasn't very professional to begin with, and when I noticed her sloppy work, my defenses went up. He had another nurse today who was "on the ball", and I felt comfortable that he was in her care.

I think this lady should be applauded for her restraint.

WHAT?!?!?!?

I guess I don't understand where that's coming from...but, to each his/her own...

~Lori

I'm just saying, luv, that you just need to wait until you have been a nurse a while and then have a student/new grad/cousin of an EMT stand over you and wait for you to make a mistake. Back in the day, when I didn't have a lot of experience, it was unnerving....now, it's just annoying.

I am not denying that she did things differently than you were taught...and yes, she should have used gloves.

But you will not do everything "by the book", 100% of the time....and trust me.... you will get to see what it is like on the other side.

I'm just saying, luv, that you just need to wait until you have been a nurse a while and then have a student/new grad/cousin of an EMT stand over you and wait for you to make a mistake. Back in the day, when I didn't have a lot of experience, it was unnerving....now, it's just annoying.

I am not denying that she did things differently than you were taught...and yes, she should have used gloves.

But you will not do everything "by the book", 100% of the time....and trust me.... you will get to see what it is like on the other side.

Thank you for clarifying...I wasn't literally hovering over her, and I wasn't trying to intimidate her or make her feel bad...perhaps that is how I portrayed the story...she didn't even know I was a nurse until she stuck him the 2nd time...I guess now that I have that education, I'm just more perceptive...I realize that I am much more sensitive to this because the patient is my dad...I just wish that she could've done a few things differently, but I also realize that if that is the way she chooses to practice, there's not much I can do about it. At least he's still alive :wink2:

~Lori

I set up my stuff after applying the tourniquet also, it takes a little bit for the veins to plump up, especially with the more elderly population. I do the same thing with blood draws as well. As for the angiocath sticking halfway out, perhaps she was planning to float it in? I've had to do that before as well. Some people look as if they have good veins but they roll, are sclerosed or have multiple valves. I hope that you are less criticizing with your preceptors...

I'm having a little problem with this.....you told her that your instructor saif you were one of the best IV starters in your clinical group....and you wonder why she was offended? Professional-acting or not, I think I would have been offended too. "one of the best in the clinical group" is not a fair comparison to an RN with time. Even people with juicy-looking, garden-hose veins can be difficult starts for various reasons.....something that, with experience, you would know. I'm not saying she was as bad as you say, no way I could know that without being there, but I think you were a little unfair to her.

I'm having a little problem with this.....you told her that your instructor saif you were one of the best IV starters in your clinical group....and you wonder why she was offended? Professional-acting or not, I think I would have been offended too. "one of the best in the clinical group" is not a fair comparison to an RN with time. Even people with juicy-looking, garden-hose veins can be difficult starts for various reasons.....something that, with experience, you would know. I'm not saying she was as bad as you say, no way I could know that without being there, but I think you were a little unfair to her.

Honestly, I don't know the reasoning behind what I said or why it came out at that moment, because it wasn't really relevant...she got a flash the first time; all I do know is that it was her technique that I didn't care for. FYI, before I was a nursing student, I worked as a phlebotomist, so I *do* have experience.

FYI, before I was a nursing student, I worked as a phlebotomist, so I *do* have experience.

Uhh....no, you don't. Not trying to start an argument here or pat you on the head to make you go 'way....not my intention at all, but as a former phlebo you have venipuncture experience. Not the same as IV experience. And getting a flash does not mean you're where you need to be, it means you've punctured the vein. You still need to get the cath where it needs to be. I happen to be one of the best at IVs in my facility; today we had a pt who needed 4 tries by 2 nurses to get a line in. All of the first three tries got flashes, only the last one would thread and I had to float it in.

And, BTW, I think the world of phlebos, I've seen some get blood from a wooden stick!

It is difficult to have a family member in the hospital. Skills are often done very differently than when taught in school, they vary by institution, and by experience. There are more than one way to do things, and yes the nurse should have worn gloves, but many nurses that have been around for a while find it very hard to start iv's with gloves on. I also agree with the op that said tourniqet on and then set your stuff up, it is a fairly common practice to allow the veins to fill up. I know that school teaches you differently but school doesn't always teach the real world.

As far as the nurses professionalism (sp) I didn't see anything in your post to suggest she wasn't.