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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
I was not taught how to start an IV in school. It's all about Liability.The ability to start an IV is paramount to nursing. To hades and back with the school's legal issues. We need to be well trained in that skill.
I understand liability in terms of starting it on patients, but to not include it in the curriculum at all when it can be taught and practiced on fake arms?
One of my instructors offered a 1 credit elective course in IV therapy for senior nursing students where we learned the basics of blood draws, IV starts, accessing ports, and central line dressing changes. We practiced on fake arms and each other (after signing waivers). IV/phlebotomy had not been offered in years prior to that course. It was helpful, but the real training came when I started practice.
I'm neither a recent grad nor a crusty old bat; I graduated from an ADN program almost 12 yrs ago. We were taught IV starts in Intermediate I skills lab. We practiced on the plastic arm, practiced on each other, and then we...gasp...started them on pts in clinicals under instructor/preceptor supervision.
Not teaching it is foolish. I don't know what has changed, but patients still need IVs, and RNs are still the ones who start them. Good for you, pushing for change at your institution!!
That rationale is pretty ridiculous - considering that IV teams are not always available in a timely manner.
There are actually many large and reputable hospitals that have IV teams available 24 hours per day, and the floor nurses are not certified, trained, or allowed by policy to place IVs.
Since giving IV meds is such an integral part of floor nursing practice, it seems bizarre to me that schools don't teach this skill. It's doing a huge disservice to the students and would make me question the nursing program itself. I hope you're successful in getting this added to your curriculum.
In my PN program, IV therapy was huge.
Been there,done that, ASN, RN
7,241 Posts
I was not taught how to start an IV in school. It's all about Liability.
The ability to start an IV is paramount to nursing. To hades and back with the school's legal issues. We need to be well trained in that skill.