How do you handle giving IVs and injections?

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · Mar 31, 2008

Hi, and welcome to All Nurses!

I moved your post to a more appropriate forum (for nursing students); you're likely to receive more responses.

Good luck to you!

MikeyJ, RN · Mar 31, 2008

As long as you practice safely when working with needles, you shouldn't be stuck by one.

As you begin to work with them, you become more comfortable with it and it becomes second nature.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Mar 31, 2008

I HATE needles....have ALWAYS hated them....but for some reason, once I stuck that orange a few times, I found it wasn't that much harder to do the same to a human.

As for getting stuck with one while on the job, I would think that only times that might happen will be if you're not practicing safety as mentioned above or if you're dealing with a combative patient. Otherwise, it's really not an issue.

deftonez188 · Mar 31, 2008

Gave my first two the other day, it's easy, and we practiced like 5 minutes :)

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2008

i've been a nurse for many years and been stuck with needles accidentally a number of times. i love what judge judy says. an accident is just that, an accident. otherwise we would call them "on purposes". every needlestick i had was an accident and i never saw it coming. it was over before i realized it happened. every facility i worked in had a protocol for needlestick injuries. they are considered workers compensation injuries. if one happens to you, you follow protocols to have the injury taken care of and reported. the actual statistics on people infected with hiv from needlesticks is actually lower than those getting hepatitis from needlestick injuries. as an iv therapist i was at a very high risk for hepatitis, but it never happened. i kept my eyes on the needles when they were unsheathed.

i was actually stuck with a needle by another nurse during a code blue. we were standing in a sea of people. why she chose that time to clean up debris, i don't know. she was holding a handful of syringes with needles on them that had been safely stuck into the mattress of the bed after being used and was standing behind me, holding these syringes with the needles pointing outward and i turned a bit in order to face the patient. my upper arm made contact with those needles which i had no idea she was holding, one of which had blood in it from a femoral stick. long story short, both the patient (who survived) and i ended up having to undergo hiv testing. i was told that the patient cried when they counseled him to get his permission for the test. the needlestick wasn't my fault and it was an accident, although it probably could have been prevented.

most of my needlesticks were with sterile needles that had never touched a patient. i can live with those. today many iv systems have gone to needleless equipment. do you sew at all? i am always ramming straight pins into my fingers when i am pinning patterns to fabric.

allthingsbright · Mar 31, 2008

My one tip--go FAST! The needle should go in in a dart like motion. You can push the solution rather slowly (esp if it burns) but you should always go quickly into the skin or the shot will be more painful!

Thats the one injection tip I have had over and over as a new nurse. Also, never recap your needles, always have the MAR at the bedside, put all your sharps in the sharps conatiner ASAP, and use the safety on all your needles. Oh, and when in doubt, ask a seasoned nurse! Questions will save yer butt every time!!!

Best wishes! :)

corbinRN · Apr 1, 2008

If you are paying attention, you will not be stuck by one. Most needles have retractable needles, so right after sticking the person, you press a button and the needle get retracted or a guard pops over the needle, thus not allowing any more penetration from the needle.

If you aren't paying attention, you may be stuck before using it on someone, but if you retract the needles and dispose of them after sticking someone, you shouldn't be stuck.