How do nurses practice giving shots?

[sakiohma]

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 :)

[FORTHELOVEOF!!!!]

We did IV's on each other, but you didn't have to, but in order to stick someone else you had to be willing to be stuck, same thing with shots. Otherwise we had fake skin, arms, and shoulders to practice on.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

We were not allowed to practice on each other...just the fake skin then a real live patient. My instructor did ask for a volunteer to demonstrate NG tube insertion, and we had a student take one for the team with that. She ended up with a bloddy nose and almost losing her lunch from gagging so much!

[reagansm]

We practiced on fake arms and lower body parts. We did not have check off for IM and SQ until after the middle of the semester but my clinical instructor pushed us to find opportunities to give them. Since our rotations were on a gynecological, postpartum and new born units there was plenty of opportunity. My first injection was a Tdap for a new mom about to be discharged. She winced but was cool about it. I gave a heparin shot later the same day (the nurse I was with wanted me to incorrectly draw up the medicine - too much!). The next week I got to give a vitamin K injection to a NB, and he did not even let out a peep!

Just make sure you learn current best practice. There are very few injections that you give in the butt! The ventrogluteal site is preferred for adults and all children.