HELP with IV starts

p-nut-pod · Sep 14, 2008

PLEASE....give yourself a break. Even those who have been in peds forever have a dry streak every once in a while. Don't give up, keep trying, you are saving their little lives.

P:tbsk:

DoniaRN · Sep 16, 2008

i feel like i have failed the child when i miss and cannot get it....i wish i had a site or something to resourse...peds can be so hard..

thank for the kind words

NursKris · Sep 16, 2008

not doing very well lately and starting to doubt myselft with every one now.
any suggestions, i was doing great but lately ive missed the last few that i have done. been in peds for 3 years and wondering if i should think about something else.....

I have been a Peds nurse for almost 20 yrs and i still miss at times. Im still here Just keep at it...i know its hurts you as much as it hurts them but you will get it eventually. We have the residents attempt the IVs when we are unsuccessful.

vamedic4, EMT-P · Sep 17, 2008

Don't get yourself down. I've started thousands of IVs on little ones in the last 14 years, and there are times when I miss, sometimes I won't get a single IV in a 12 hour shift. Sometimes I'm sure it's me, other times it's those difficult kiddos - veins blow, babies kick, fragile kids have equally fragile veins.

It's too bad that X ray vision isn't in our genetic makeup...then we'd know where to go every time!!

Seriously though, the more you do it, the better you'll get. Don't get discouraaged and give up. See if you can follow someone you know to be good at IVs - they may be able to offer you techniques you've never tried. Don't lose faith, those kids need your skills.

vamedic4

Sleep is going to be so nice today.

DoniaRN · Sep 20, 2008

yesterday had a severely dehydrated kid got great blood return but blew it twice.....sigh

JadedCPN, BSN, RN · Sep 22, 2008

The best advice I can give you is to take every learning opportunity that is presented to you. This may not mean actually sticking the pt yourself, but learning the little tips and tricks from other staff members. Remember, practice makes perfect.

sandycheeksrn · Oct 10, 2008

remember if they need a IV,... veins are not at their "optimal" state. Give yourself a break. I am a hands and feet kind of a person, bt with infants whom are severely dehydrated, I always go for the scalp. These are the biggest and most visible veins on most kids. There are not as many nerve endings in the scalp than there is in the hand and other body parts. It just looks worse.

DoniaRN · Dec 23, 2008

just wanted to make a quick update. today i got a 5 week old a direct admit from the office. need all kinds of things from rsv swap, u/a, labs and of course a iv. i got the iv the first try. i am so excited still. just had to update

kessadawn, BSN, RN · Dec 26, 2008

The best advice I can give you is to take every learning opportunity that is presented to you. This may not mean actually sticking the pt yourself, but learning the little tips and tricks from other staff members. Remember, practice makes perfect.

:yeahthat:

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Dec 31, 2008

I have been a Peds nurse for almost 20 yrs and i still miss at times. Im still here Just keep at it...i know its hurts you as much as it hurts them but you will get it eventually. We have the residents attempt the IVs when we are unsuccessful.

though sometimes residents are worse then nurses. I needed an iv once and a resedint tried first, 3 times till my parents said, "There must be a nurse who has been working here for 25 years get her in here" and she hit it first try.

DoniaRN · Dec 31, 2008

yeah..we have one resident that wont even try!!!