IV starts in nursing schools

[DaynaPierceMorgan]

I am a nursing professor and our university currently does not teach IV starts to students as part of the cirriculum. I am pushing for that to change.

Did most of you recent graduates learn to start IVs in school?

Thank you.

Dayna, Seattle

[catlovingRN, BSN, RN]

I graduated from Rutgers this past May and we did not get any IV training while in school. Wish we did though!

[caliotter3]

There was no IV competence training in my BSN program. When I got to my first job, and the subject of IV competence came up, I was told that IV competence comes with the territory with the RN license. Not including IV training in RN programs, I believe, is doing a disservice to the RN student.

[proud nurse, BSN, RN]

IV starts and IV push meds was part of the curriculum in a skills class in the third semester of my ADN program. Of course, it was on fake arms that had huge veins and tons of holes from so much practicing. At clinicals, most patients weren't thrilled or had the patience to let a nursing student try to put in an IV. Even though we were checked off, most of us were not good at it. I feel like my lack of exposure to IV starts as a student somewhat contributed to my fear as a new grad. Even almost 3 years later, my confidence is not where it should be and whenever I do start an IV, I feel like I am practicing.

[SoonerNurse1]

We did at OU. It was part of skills lab and we had to start one on another classmate.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

ADN program in NC, was taught to insert IVs Don't have to do them at work but other hospitals do.

[THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN]

I'm an ADN RN and we started learning and doing IVs in meds surg 1. I would be mad if my school hadn't taught us how to do something that I do almost everyday at work.

[RunBabyRN]

We did them at the beginning of second semester in our BSN program.

[ParvulusPuella]

We did not, with the rationale that many of the hospitals around here have dedicated IV teams, and the hospitals that don't teach it as part of the new grad orientation.

[VANurse2010]

We did not, with the rationale that many of the hospitals around here have dedicated IV teams, and the hospitals that don't teach it as part of the new grad orientation.

That rationale is pretty ridiculous - considering that IV teams are not always available in a timely manner.

[B52, BSN, MSN, RN]

At Broward College we do IV starts during Ortho/Neuro and Cardio clinicals. We also spend a day during each clinical in the ER getting more exposure to IV starts.

[SquishyRN, BSN, RN]

There was no IV competence training in my BSN program. When I got to my first job, and the subject of IV competence came up, I was told that IV competence comes with the territory with the RN license. Not including IV training in RN programs, I believe, is doing a disservice to the RN student.

I agree. I found this to be very weird since it is expected by most places for RNs to already know since it is within their scope of practice. My RN program covered it, but when I was an LVN doing my IV therapy/blood certification course, I was shocked to learn that many of the RNs had never done IV training in their original programs. I find it absolutely insane that they don't cover what is considered a fundamental nursing skill.

EDIT: We were taught and practiced on fake arms in skills lab but never on each other. However, if an opportunity arose for us to start one in clinicals, we were allowed to.