How do you practice this??

Well, when I was in school, we practiced on each other.... but I think that is frowned upon now? I'm sure some one will let us know.

We also had clinical labs with fake arm with veins so that you could go through the motions---- nothing like a real patient though.

Then, when you are out of school, you practice on real patients and never mention that this is your first or second time doing it.

I am assuming you are still in school. When you start clinicals just do every IV, lab draw,injection that you can. Watch the people that are good & see how they do it.....have a clinical instructor, experienced nurse watch you & give pointers. If you get the chance go with the IV team.....they do this over & over all day long & can give you great tips. Good luck it just takes practice.

How do you practice inserting IV's, drawing blood, giving shots, etc... basically anything with needles? Do you practice on yourselves, each other, objects? I'm a little nervous about the needles part, but I'm sure you just get used to it over time. I was just thinking about this and am very curious, thanks :)

In our program we are not allowed to practice on each other but only on dummies.When I needed more practice with giving injections I usually went to lab in my free time.

Also at home you can practice on oranges you just have to buy syringes.

I tried to take couple from our lab but the lab tutor didnt allow me to.

As far as the inserting IV,we were only allowed to play with the equipment in the lab and then we had to practice on the really people in the hospital.Scary but you will have your instructor walk you through the steps.

I am assuming you are still in school. When you start clinicals just do every IV, lab draw,injection that you can. Watch the people that are good & see how they do it.....have a clinical instructor, experienced nurse watch you & give pointers. If you get the chance go with the IV team.....they do this over & over all day long & can give you great tips. Good luck it just takes practice.

Yes, sorry :) I'm a pre-nursing student, hopefully about to begin the nursing program in January. I'm waiting to see if I'll get accepted next month. I'm really interested in this, but nervous as well. Thanks for the tips!

The hardest part of blood drawing or IV starting is finding the vein. Sticking the needle for a shot or IV or blood draw is just a finesse thing. If you want to practice something,you can practice finding veins on yourself or your friends/family. try all sorts of people, skinny, fat, athletic, little kids, etc. All are different. Also, finding the vein doesn't hurt anyone, you can practice as long as your friends/family have patience!

how do you practice inserting iv's, drawing blood, giving shots, etc... basically anything with needles? do you practice on yourselves, each other, objects?

we did injections on each other, although we first practiced on...was it oranges? gosh, i don't remember (even though that was only four years ago!) i know we practiced intradermal injections on hot dogs first before we gave each other ppds.

my program didn't teach venipuncture, because nearly all of the hospitals in our area have a vascular access team as well as a phlebotomy staff, and departments that require these skills of their rns tend to cover the content during orientation.

- jess

Our instructor told us that we will be injecting her............:heartbeat:cry:

Our instructor told us that we will be injecting her............:heartbeat:cry:

Oh my, isn't she the lucky one! (LOL)

Blessings, Michelle

We started out with the humble orange, graduated to the hot dog and finally finished with inserting 22G catheters in each other.

cheers,

We started out with the humble orange, graduated to the hot dog and finally finished with inserting 22G catheters in each other.

cheers,

Speaking of "catheters", how do we practice inserting a catheter/foley into someone? Are there mannequins for that?

Speaking of "catheters", how do we practice inserting a catheter/foley into someone? Are there mannequins for that?

No mannequins for NGs though.

Very first NG tube I ever dropped as a student nurse was a sick, crying 7 year old during my peds rotation...

cheers,

On the job training is the best for this...those fake arms are nothing compared to sticking someone for real. Don't worry, after a few weeks you'll be an old hand. And everyone has off days where they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, too. Find out who the person is on your floor, when you get to that point, who everyone else goes to for the really hard sticks, and tag along and have them talk you through what they're doing and why.

When I had my second baby, I had a nursing student with my L&D triage nurse...he blew my vein the first time and was totally freaking out b/c I just stuck out my other arm and told him where to stick it. I tried to explain to him that the contractions were hurting so bad he could stick me ten times and I wouldn't even notice, but the triage nurse wouldn't let him poke me again. I didn't think that was fair, as long as I was (somewhat) coherent and willing to be stuck. Then she stuck me twice and blew them too. I should have just done it myself.:chuckle