IV tips and tricks

[kloock]

Hi all,

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.

Thanks in advance!

------------------

Katharina Loock, RN, BSN

Department of Education

Wadley Regional Medical Center

1000 Pine Street

Texarkana,TX 75501

[Fergie]

Do not be afraid of the needle. I was taught to go in slightly to one side of the vein.

[nursbee04]

A friend in nsg school had trouble remembering where her veins were once she had rubbed the site down with the alc pad, so our clinical instructor taught her to pick her vein, pick out where she is going to insert the IV and take the end of a skinny ball point pen (not the marking end) and make an indentation at the site (not enough to hurt the pt...), then clean. The indentation will stay long enough for you to stick. Good trick for beginners.

I go more for the feel of veins, rather than if I can see them or not. To me, a good vein has kind of a spongy feel to it. My best advice to anyone new at this is to do as many as you can, because that's really the only way to learn the tricks and perfect your technique. That's how I'm learning.

[nursbee04]

A friend in nsg school had trouble remembering where her veins were once she had rubbed the site down with the alc pad, so our clinical instructor taught her to pick her vein, pick out where she is going to insert the IV and take the end of a skinny ball point pen (not the marking end) and make an indentation at the site (not enough to hurt the pt...), then clean. The indentation will stay long enough for you to stick. Good trick for beginners.

I go more for the feel of veins, rather than if I can see them or not. To me, a good vein has kind of a spongy feel to it. My best advice to anyone new at this is to do as many as you can, because that's really the only way to learn the tricks and perfect your technique. That's how I'm learning.

[rn4booboo]

this has been discussed ad nauseam. try a search.

Nurses eat their young is ad nauseam- seems like you have it down pat though?

[rn4booboo]

this has been discussed ad nauseam. try a search.

Nurses eat their young is ad nauseam- seems like you have it down pat though?

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

Looooove the background sounds on this one!!

http://www.enw.org/IVStarts.htm

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

Looooove the background sounds on this one!!

http://www.enw.org/IVStarts.htm

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Thanks for sharing tips in this thread! :)

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Thanks for sharing tips in this thread! :)

[Audreyfay]

women have the "rule of thumb". theres almost always a vein that comes off of the thumb where the forearm begins. look around, youll see im right.

That vein is called the dummy vein. Any dummy can hit it. :chuckle

[Audreyfay]

women have the "rule of thumb". theres almost always a vein that comes off of the thumb where the forearm begins. look around, youll see im right.

That vein is called the dummy vein. Any dummy can hit it. :chuckle

[thanatos]

Nurses eat their young is ad nauseam- seems like you have it down pat though?

Easy there. All I am saying is there this has been discussed numerous times. Every few months someone posts requesting tips on IV starts, and I was just pointing the OP toward a gold mine of information. I have posted on some of those previous threads and was attempting to not repeat myself or have others do the same.