IV insetion lab

Rmena · Jan 8, 2016

Don't miss or they will boot you out of school! lol...what are your fears? general needle phobia? Have you watched any youtube videos on venipuncture before?

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2016

Take it slowly. You'll start with fake arms and slowly moved up. You won't be good in the beginning.

nlitened · Jan 9, 2016

I too am terrified of starting IV's. I had a wonderful clinical instructor sit down with me one day to talk about my fear. I told her I really don't know what my fear is really...I fear missing and having to stick them again, I fear going too deep and going right through the vein, I fear hurting them...I could go on and on. It was to the point where when one of my patients needed an IV I would go get another student.

That clinical instructor told me bluntly "You're going to hurt people. Are you doing it intentionally? No. Will you get the perfect stick every time? No." She then stayed in the lab with me for an hour to practice IV insertion with me to help me get comfortable with the equipment and the process.

The fear you feel is normal. Maybe ask for extra time in the lab, or let your classmates know that you want to watch when they insert one in clinical. It will get better...it just takes time...and confidence.

ScrappytheCoco · Jan 9, 2016

I was petrified in nursing school. We used the dumb arm and I only actually got to try to start one on this 99 year old lady on Coumadin and it didn't go well. Now I can toss a large bore into 95% of people like a dart with my eyes closed. Practice as much as you can. You will pierce the vein and blow it right out. You will completely miss. Patients will fuss that you're hurting them...just be kind and apologize to the pt and continue the procedure. Doing it on a real person is way easier...that rubber arm is useless IMO.

janejayne · Jan 9, 2016

I don't exactly know what I am afraid of. I guess I'm just really anxious of the idea of starting an IV on someone, and vice versa. I've been watching ATI and YouTube videos.

and, THANK YOU for your advices! It makes me feel a tad less anxious! :)

Jallen21791, CNA · Jan 9, 2016

I have yet to do an IV but I am actively employed as a phlebotomist at a plasmapheresis center where we infuse blood with anticoagulant and return red blood cells with saline infused at the end of the procedure. My advice would be to really feel the vein. Make sure you know what direction it travels in. Push down on the vein and feel it's depth with your fingers. Don't be afraid to push and feel across the vein. Take your time and you'll be fine. Let me also add that I took an 8 week phlebotomy course and only practiced on a for arm for 1 day. My job never had any practice. It was straight from training (which was all reading) to sticking our donors. I find using a blood pressure cuff as a tourniquet is the best way but make sure the patient holds a tight fist to help you really get the vein pumped up.

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2016

Try getting the feel of the catheter before you insert one. Make sure you are doing it one handed. It may be tempting to try and do it two handed, but you will twist yourself up. Get the feel of pinching it and keeping one finger free as a slider.