I started my first IV last night

[blondy2061h]

One of the patient's central lines pulled out and the surgeon couldn't come replace it right away. So...I finally got to start an IV.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

Congratulations!!!

Starting my first IV was a blissful experience. Literally...

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Why don't you learn an essential nursing skill in nursing school?

One of the healthcare systems had too many complaints from patients and banned students from trying it in clinicals there. The other big system in this area has an IV team that does IV starts. The opportunity was never there at clinicals, and letting us practice on each other was strictly against school policy. I kept hearing, "You'll learn it in orientation," but working in BMT, we rarely use peripheral IVs and I never did learn it.

[whipping girl in 07, RN]

I started one IV in nursing school, and very few in the ICU. Just no opportunities. Now I only work PRN, but I'm better at IVs now than I was when I worked in there full-time! How weird is that??

[2008pn]

can't wait to start my 1st IV

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

One of the healthcare systems had too many complaints from patients and banned students from trying it in clinicals there. The other big system in this area has an IV team that does IV starts. The opportunity was never there at clinicals, and letting us practice on each other was strictly against school policy. I kept hearing, "You'll learn it in orientation," but working in BMT, we rarely use peripheral IVs and I never did learn it.

Wow, I continue to be grateful for my nursing school experience. We were starting IVs and giving IV push meds in second semester.