How do nurses practice giving shots?

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2012

we used the fake skin, and that helped, but the biggest thing is to just be confident, if you willy nilly it, you'll hurt the patient. heparin and insulin are the only shots i give routinely. after that everything else is easy.

Scarlettz, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2012

In Sim lab, we practiced on some sort of jelly-like bag. I sort of wished they at least has a dummy, so we could have practiced injecting bodily landmarks.

The first injection I had to give was IM. My instructor was super scary that semester, so I sort of freaked. I knew the landmarks, the needle size, and the technique. But, doing it with her was frightening. I was nervous about doing it, and really just wanted to see it done in real life the first time. So, she ended up doing it that first day! I did it the next day and it went fine. The guy was nice and was like, "It didn't hurt at all."

I have given plenty of SC injections after that. I find them to be easier. I haven't had any IM injections since that particular semester. I wish I had more experience with IMs. But, I think the hardest part is getting over that initial first time. It truly does get easier with time and exposure.

nerdynurse22 · Apr 10, 2012

We did our first injection on ourself (SQ) then we did intradermal on each other. I signed up to do a flu clinic. I ended up giving about 50 IM injections. For IV we've practiced on a fake arm and vein.

Don't be afraid of injections, it's quick and easy. Just have confidence!

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Apr 10, 2012

I once read that dental hygiene students practice on each other when learning how to give injections and I admit, this worried me a bit because I'm assuming nursing students do the same thing. If not, how do you practice giving injections? How was your first time giving someone a shot? Details, details. Thank you :)

We used "lifelike" "arms" in the skills lab. For liability purposes we weren't allowed to jab each other for IM's in school. Out in clinicals though, if it was a low census on the floor, we'd grab the IV start tote and practice on each other all the time. Dental hygiene is VERY different, when doing local infiltrations and mandibular blocks you have to be able to feel and recognize nerve pathways, it's not like giving something IM at all.

Are you afraid that a classmate is going to be practicing on you? In skills lab we did each do a TB test on each other. One student was "deathly afraid" of needles. Boy did she get a talking to about what it takes to be a nurse and she better learn to adjust fast. She lost a lot of respect with her fellow students too

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2012

Back when I was in school (I graduated 5 years ago), we practiced on each other with saline. It was required. Then there was a pertussis outbreak at one of the hospitals we did clinical at and we all needed Tdap boosters... so we did them on each other.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2012

Life like 'dummies" with 'skin' in the labs (for LPN school) then trial by fire on the floor by giving injections to live humans. Talk about nerve wracking! No one practiced injections on each other during my LPN training, nor do they do it in the Nur 101 program at the school I'm doing my LPN to RN bridge.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2012

they learn about shots if they take a barkeeping course. they learn about injections in nursing school.

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2012

We did all our "sticks" on each other. We also started IV's on each other. We didn't have any "fake skin" back then, nor did we have fake veins to practise on. Nothing like having a student digging in your arm, trying to place an IV!

GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 10, 2012

i was good at darts, so giving injection was no problem.

merlyn, i can almost envision you standing ten steps away and holding the syringe like a dart... lol :lol2: .... btw the sign of the cross was also a tip that i got from a seasoned nurse many moons ago

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Apr 10, 2012

Besides stuff like shot pads and oranges....

In nursing school the first shot we gave was to ourselves. SubQ saline.

The second shot, a few minutes later, was to a classmate (Intradermal saline, Mantoux style).

All the rest we got to practice sticking unsuspecting members of the public unfortunate enough to be within our reach of sharp thingies.

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Apr 10, 2012

merlyn, i can almost envision you standing ten steps away and holding the syringe like a dart... lol .... btw the sign of the cross was also a tip that i got from a seasoned nurse many moons ago

there is a legend, apocryphal no doubt, i think i read on allnurses: a nursing student was taught to hold the needle "like a dart" when giving the injection and the student, possibly esl, thought the instructor said, "throw it like a dart"....and she did.

sandyfeet · Apr 10, 2012

One student was "deathly afraid" of needles. Boy did she get a talking to about what it takes to be a nurse and she better learn to adjust fast. She lost a lot of respect with her fellow students too

I'm so glad my program didn't treat me this way! I started nursing school with a needle phobia too--it's more common than you would think. OP, it does go away with repeated exposure. I practiced on oranges at home, then the fake skin in lab, then each other (the deal was if you gave an injection you had to take an injection so no one was forced to do anything against their will), then a flu clinic. Don't let fear hold you back!