I feel incompetent

[ginaw623]

I had phlebotomy class today all day where we learned how to take blood specimens (butterfly, vacutainer, and blood cultures). Using fake arms of course not real ones lol. I felt like an idiot the entire day because I couldn't even tie the tourniquet correctly half the time. I was all nervous and my hands were shaking. I couldn't help but think "wow I can't do this on a person or I will kill them". Has anybody else ever felt incompetent when learning these skills? I just want to be a good nurse.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Honey...:hug:. It takes time, remember when you are with the dummy you can't hurt it. Learn the landmarks. Sometimes even after a few days off for vacation I will return to get a tought stick and I will actually get butterflies thinking "Oh, have I lost my edge". Before you stick someone get all your stuff ready. Tape gauze swabs bandaid(if used) open and ready to go. take a deep breath in and let it out take another one in and stick....breathe. It will come with practice.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I doubt you're going to kill someone by having shaky hands when drawing blood. And your ability to draw blood has very little to do with your being a "good nurse". Who knows, depending on where you work you may not even be expected to draw blood. When I worked in the hospital, there were plenty of nurses who refused to become trained in phlebotomy. It was really annoying when I was the only one working a night shift who would draw blood.

[Skips, MSN, RN]

We learned how to insert IVs the next to last week of this last semester in nursing school...and I kept tying the tourniquet incorrectly! I felt silly...but keep practicing with those darn tricky things. I am going to perfect it over the summer...

[Scrubmouse RN]

After the first few successful attempts, it will become much easier and you will psych yourself out less.

[shay&lynn, ASN, RN]

you just gave yourself the best advice and didn't even see it ... !

"Has anybody else ever felt incompetent when learning these skills?" -notice the word that i put in bold!

you are learning! it is natural to be nervous - don't be so hard on yourself! what can make you feel uncomfortable is practice, practice, practice!

like you, i have also only practiced on the 'fake arm', i haven't done an actual 'stick' on anyone yet, practicing will only make you feel confident! of course you will be nervous the first few times [maybe 100 times :)], but if you go in knowing what you are doing, you will be fine! i was very nervous when we learned about giving shots, but felt very comfortable with hrs of practice to go in and perform the skill in clinicals. i was so confident that my instructor watched and didn't correct anything that i did, i did it exactly as i was taught, and felt confident.

you got this!

[Bobmo88]

As a phlebotomist, I have to say that we all start some where. You just need to practice good technique and be confident in yourself. The only way you will get better is just to keep practicing. BTW, it took me forever to learn how to tie the tourniquet and once you get the hang of it you don't even think about it, it's all muscle memory. Good luck and like others have said, don't be so hard on yourself.