IV stick method

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My clinical instructor today was telling her us method of IV sticks, and I've just never heard anyone that does it the way she does, shes a very experienced nurse, with 30+ years experience, said she never aims for the vein directly when sticking, she just sticks close to the vein, or like to the side of it (was demonstrating with a big vein in her hand), and then she moves the needle into the vein once shes through the skin, she said she does this because the stick is the most painful part and it just goes more quick when your not concentrating on "on I have to get this right in the vein the first time." Just curious, does anyone else use this method?

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Specializes in Emergency, outpatient.

Lots of nurses do it that way. Another poster in another thread said it well; an IV start is two sticks, one through the skin and the next through the wall of the vein. Some nurses put the sticks together, some separate them.

For me it depends on who I am sticking. LOLs and COPDers with thin skin and little veins get the two-stick technique from me, sometimes without a tourniquet, depending on how fragile the veins look. For most pts it's a straight-in poke.

Sounds like you've got a good instructor.:up:

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Specializes in med-surg, telemetry,geriatrics.

I must admit I have an ego with IV's I'm very confident and go for the poke and get immediate blood return in one fair swoop. Hovever I've gotten IV with side ways method of 2 stick or maybe 3....lol......some people might also call it digging unless on only when it truely is a 2 stick and not a dig and find. The worst part is the skin And I am with you,,,,that hurts most ,,but i think any techinque you try and u get a iv in then i dont care how you did it if i can't....know what i mean? and as far as a lidocaine transdermal shot before the iv i have mixed feelings about that kinda undecided either way. but we have a policy for it. Oh and I also like to hear when i start an iv that it was much more pleasureable than from the nurse before me...im a happy camper. And if they say dang son you are the worst PRICK i ever had....I tend to ignore such negativity and straight way with out a thought say" oh Im sorry, can I kindly see the other arm?" LOL

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Specializes in Rehab.

Hey I'm a new grad... our teachers taught us both ways and said the sideways method was more for the people with rolling veins and the straight and true was for easy sticks. I'm still anovice so idk which way is better...I like just getting in there and getting it done than digging around but I feel its just what your comfortable with and either one is fine!

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I use the direct stick for pts with good veins and the 2 stick method for pts with rolling or fragile veins. "Digging" to get an IV is counter productive, it injures the vein which then can't be used anyway because it will infiltrate and two it irritates the pt a great deal. Never Dig!

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Thanks for everyones responses, and northshore08, I have a WONDERFUL instructor, I just met her today, but she was a breath of fresh air.

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