where do you learn blood draws

[direw0lf, BSN]

My instructors told us that as students we will not learn how to draw blood or start IV's. That we'll need IV competency certification.

I wanted to ask is this normal in schools? They did tell us that everyone will have a chance to insert Foley's and shadow a nurse manager. But not learning or practicing drawing blood or IV's worries me..who will hire a nurse who can't draw blood?

[erRN85]

Totally normal! When you start working your preceptor will teach you both these skills.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

I finally learned it after being a nurse for 16 years.

Took a class from a phlebotomist. Very helpful.

[rob4546, ADN, BSN, MSN]

We were taught in the second year of nursing school. We first practiced on a simulator arm and then on each other. Once we had a successful stick we were allowed to practice with the supervision of our assigned nurse preceptor. Not all schools do it this way, I guess I am lucky. I would keep a sharp eye for any class or person that is willing to train you while in nursing school just be careful to not break any school rule.... Once you get your first job you will be train somewhat but it is nice to know a little before that time.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

I learned blood draws while working as a tech in nursing school. During my senior practicum, some of the staff nurses at my clinical site let me put IVs in them. They were my first two IV starts. I became more competent as a med surg nurse and very good at IV starts now as an ED nurse. I got to do my first and only art stick as a student nurse during my practicum.

[ParkerBC,MSN,RN, PhD, RN]

Many schools are beginning to remove phlebotomy from their curriculums, including IV starts. Both of these are invasive procedures and facilities are now reducing their liability by not having students to perform IV starts or draw blood. I know of some facilities that will not permit students to hang fluids nor administer IV push medications. This puts nursing schools in a catch 22- some facilities are complaining that graduate nurses are not competent in skills yet the facilities continue eliminating what students can do while in clinical. It is quite frustrating. The other posters are correct. You will learn those skills during orientation.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

who will hire a nurse who can't draw blood?

I've been a nurse for the past decade, since January 2006. I never learned venipuncture, blood draws or IV starts, yet have been hired many times.

In this day and age, employers hire for personalities, not skills. The rationale is this...a person can be trained on the job to draw blood, start IV lines, apply wound vacs, or perform a number of procedural skills. However, a person cannot easily be trained to change the horrible personality he's exhibited since early childhood.

The hard skills (a.k.a. procedural and technical skills) can be imparted upon people, but the soft skills (a.k.a. good attitude and competent social skills) are difficult to change. In other words, you can train a person on the hands-on skills, but you've got a serious problem on your hands if you're forced to train a grown man or woman to play nice in the sandbox.

This is why pleasant nurses who do not know how to draw blood are hired. :)

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

We practiced on fake arms in fundamentals. If we get the chance in clinical we are able to, but those chances have been few. So have foleys. I'm hoping going into my fourth and final semester and being in critical care we will get more opportunities.

But Commuter is right, you get hired based on clicking with the unit and being a hard worker. You need to impress in the interview. You learn the actual nursing skills on the job. Nursing school simply prepares you to take the NCLEX. The pass rate is how schools get accredited. That is really all that matters to the school.

[Xlorgguss]

In my program we learn IVs on the fake arm. When I asked they said if you can do an IV, you can do veinpuncture. But if you are looking to learn it before your first RN job look into PCT positions. In my area they draw blood especially if they are ED.

[nlitened]

We learn how to start IV's on a fake arm. And I have yet to do one in real life in clinical.

In my area there are new grad programs, and during the program the new grad has to do 100 sticks in the lab for certification. So I'm assuming not knowing these skills as a new grad is quite common.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

Wasn't taught in my program nor any other around the area. The hospitals don't allow students to start IVs or draw blood (most don't allow IV push either).

When I was hired at my current hospital, we were required to spend 16 hrs in the same day surgery putting in IVs as well as spending 16 hrs in the lab draw station doing blood draws all day. We had a certain number of successful IVs and blood draws. If you weren't able to do them while at the same day surgery or lab, you had to do them with someone (RN) to observe.

The other hospitals around the area have similar programs in place for nurses with no IV or blood draw skills/training.

[ready2baRN]

I was also concerned about this as well. I learned on a fake arm in sim lab but have yet to do a live stick on an actual person.