I am starting to compile a list of tips and tricks concerning starting venipuncture. The goal is to share experiences and tricks of the trade.
Tips e.g. on how to find that elusive "best vein", would be greatly appreciated. (and if you have a few that are not to be taken entirely serious those would be welcome as well).
Please answer me directly - no need to clutter up the board with this. I will post the text once it is finished.
I don't know if you are male or female. You are certainly not helping our profession with comments like that. Remember, you were once new. If you have this attitude, get out.
Nurses do eat their young, and it seems like you feel you need some more.
I don't know if you are male or female. You are certainly not helping our profession with comments like that. Remember, you were once new. If you have this attitude, get out.
Nurses do eat their young, and it seems like you feel you need some more.
I'm sorry you feel that way, the fault of that class was on the instructor, not the nursing profession. I'm not so much worried about helping our profession as I am in helping the patient.
I'm sorry you feel that way, the fault of that class was on the instructor, not the nursing profession. I'm not so much worried about helping our profession as I am in helping the patient.
Cherre, I don't think that comment was directed at you...
I don't know if you are male or female. You are certainly not helping our profession with comments like that. Remember, you were once new. If you have this attitude, get out.
Nurses do eat their young, and it seems like you feel you need some more.
Hi. I'm all for reviving past threads that have been out of circulation for years sometimes but since this person actually wrote their comment back in July of 2004... :chuckle
I know it would bother me if I said something wrong and had to get balled out for years to come.
Soooo...that being said....I don't have any tips to starting ivs but I do have a comment. I have received a ton of IVs and not once did the nurse EVER wear gloves to start it or take it out. EVER. I found that strange. Is this normal? Is there a time wear no gloves is called for? When there's an accident and a significant amount of my blood is spilled on the nurse's hands, I automatically tell them I don't have anything they could catch. Is that wierd? Thanks.
I always try to use a vein that is on the forarm. Having worked with nurses that only try the hands first, when the pt is getting large doses of iv abx the ones in the hands will go bad first(in my exp.) Not only that but if the one's in the hand are hep-locked they also tend to go bad way before the 3 days. And if they are ortho pts on crutches. If you will put them mid way on the forarm then the pt doesn't tend to hang them on things. And please don't forget that there are also veins in the upper arm. I have had so many good iv starters that came to me and said that they were unable to get a vein, i go in there and look at their upper arm and they have a whopper! Be aware of those young guys who have veins that you can see across the room, their skin is so thick i always blow the vein trying to get past the skin. Hope that helps :)
Don't tie your tourniquet too tight on patients with big ropes...you'll risk blowing the vein.
When you don't succeed the first time, try sometime different the second time...change arms, try a smaller cath, move the tourniquet higher or lower...
just a thought- when I was a student, I read an article about IV starts which recommended with elderly/frail people that a tourniquet NOT be used. I have had several successes this way. My most proud stick was a 97-yo teeny oncology pt, no tourniquet and it went in the first time. I have used this method on other pts also. My instructor was leery but it worked.
WHEN YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE LITTLE OLD LADIES WHO HAVE NO VEINS, YOU CAN RUB BETADINE ON THE SKIN AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN SEE SOMETHING HIDING BECAUSE IT KIND OF LOOKS BLUE. ALSO APPLYING WARM COMPRESSES HELPS ALOT.
Before I would use any of the tips, I would make sure they are the standards of the INS. That is what standard you are going to be held to. First, Alcohol is not the standard for cleaning it is chloroprep.
Second the hand should not be used with vesicants and should be avoid for IVs to stay in place due to possible damage. The acutual practice is the smaller the needle the less damage to the vessel.
There are many chagnes with IV Therapy and if I was educating staff, I would make sure you follow the right standards.
Thanks for all those very helpful tips. I am a third semester ADN Student and we will have IV Lab next week.After that we will be let loose to try our luck on poor unexpecting L&D patients.
This helps illuminate the veins in preemies, and many old and young alike. It works well in all skin colors. It doesn't work well in obese patients, but is great usually for chubby lttle 1 year old rolly poly.
military girl
119 Posts
I don't know if you are male or female. You are certainly not helping our profession with comments like that. Remember, you were once new. If you have this attitude, get out.
Nurses do eat their young, and it seems like you feel you need some more.