IV certification - help!

[mowebs]

As an aide in a Virginia hospital in the 90's I practiced phlebotomy after a one hour class and one practice stick. Fortunately I discovered I had a knack for it - much to my suprise, I really like drawing blood. Now I am an LPN in Colorado (graduated nursing school in NJ but took the NCLEX here) and can't figure out how to get IV certified. My school (shame on them!) didn't teach it, they said no need, wherever you work will teach you. That may be true in Jersey but it sure ain't here! I've worked with quite a few nurses who said they got their certification after a 6 hour class at the local community college but apparently things have changed. None of the colleges I've asked do that anymore, they only teach this skill to their nursing students as part of the curriculum. I've found 3 schools in Colorado that offer IV training as a seperate skill set but they are far away and it's a regular full semester class. I work full time (and then some) so that is out of the question. For a one or two day intensive training session I can get a hotel room and work my schedule around it but can't find anything anywhere! Does anyone know of a weekend seminar type of thing anywhere in or near Colorado for IV certification? Any suggestions? This is making me crazy.

[Sam J.]

Do you need an IV certficate, or do you just want one?

Are you employed? Do they require it? If yes they ought to be able to advise you how to get that.

Read your BON site to determine what is required for an LPN to be IV certified, they may also list approved providers.

Just because a school has an IV course, that doesn't mean it meet the requirements of your BON, or is approved by them.

Other than that good luck- aside from the time and travel, some of those classes are outrageously $$$$.

As far as any IV class taking an entire semester, that smacks of a tad bit of overkill?

[Fiona59]

Talk to a CNE at work. Usually when you start a new job you have to have 3 starts witnessed by a CNE.

[MrsKarlieee]

Try to contact the board and see where they have approved courses like the one you are looking for. The BON here in CA have a list of approved schools and training centers that offer IV certification on their website.

[shoogles22]

I got my IV cert from a company called Clinical Solutions. Of course, they may be only FL based, but I'm not sure.

[IVRUS, BSN, RN]

Check out local pharmacies such as Omnicare. There is an Omnicare pharmacy in Pueblo, CO; Golden CO; and Grand Junction CO.

Often, these pharmacies will have education on Infusion Therapy.