IV starts in nursing schools

Nurses General Nursing

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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.

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Specializes in Med/surg, Onc.

ADN program and we did learn in our third semester. First on the big fake arms and then also with real patients in clinicals. We all started a couple by the time we graduated.

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, Med-Surg/Tele, LTC.
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?

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We did at my program. We even got to start IV's on actual patients.

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.

We were taught in school starting second semester. We practiced on pts just like our other skills, with our instructor or nurse at our side. We were absolutely forbidden from practicing on each other.

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Specializes in CVICU.

ADN program, learned this in 1st semester. Started hospital clinicals in 2nd semester and I've had chances to do IVs on real patients in the clinical setting each semester since.

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Haven't graduated yet but we learned in 1st semester skills lab. By 3rd semester starting them on patients. I'm in a BSN program in the south, if that matters.

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

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.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

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!! :up:

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Did most of you recent graduates learn to start IVs in school?

I graduated from an LVN program in 2005 and an LPN-to-ASN bridge program in 2010. Neither nursing program taught IV starts, venipuncture or cannulation.
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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.
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.

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Specializes in Med Surg.

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.

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