LVN without IV and/or phlebotomy skills

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Hello, everyone.

I have been accepted in the Fall 2012 LVN program at Los Medanos College

I have a question which may sound ridiculous to you. Is it possible for an LVN to find a job without IV & blood drawing skills?

I don't know if I'm going to learn those skills in the program. If these are the skills an LVN must master to be considered a nurse, I'll do my best to get over it. Otherwise, poking a patient is not my favourite. I'm not scared of blood; I don't blink with a needle punching through my skin. However, using needles on people is another story. I couldn't even get a splinter out of my cousin's skin with a needle when he asked me do it. I ended up bleeding him.

I hope I can get some advice here. Thank you.

Minh

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I never started an IV or learned phlebotomy skills during my time in the LVN program. In fact, I worked as an LVN for 4 years in long term care and never once started an IV or drew blood. Outside lab people performed all of the blood draws.

I never once started an IV or learned phlebotomy during my time in an RN completion program. The first time I ever started an IV was during my first year of working as an RN. I have drawn blood from many PICC lines and central lines, but I still have never performed a venipuncture or any type of phlebotomy.

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Depending on where you work, you may never start an IV. Blood is drawn by the lab staff in my hospital or the very rare time an RN will have to pull off from a central line.

I've been asked if I'd do the training for phlebotomy skills but refused as I do enough with my patients as it is and we have lab staff in the building 24/7. Every other LPN I work with has declined as well.

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Specializes in alzheimers, hospice, dialysis.

wow....i really didn't know that LVN and RN's don't learn phleb. i'm amazed, truly.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

hi mynhii --

Do not worry! Both IV Therapy and Blood Withdrawal are certifications you can add to your license once you've graduated and passed the NCLEX-PN (or VN in our case and that of Texas).

I didn't learn to draw blood until I'd been working for 3 years. I was taught by the staff of a physician's office I worked for. Later on I took the official class, but it is not mandatory that you learn it in nursing school.

As far as fear of needles goes, many students have fears like that. Some people are afraid of how they will react to blood or vomit. All I can say is most people do fine. The nursing school process itself dispels most people's fears. If you really want to be a nurse, just put one foot in front of the other, and don't try to anticipate by leaping ahead in time with just your fears fueling you.

Any questions you have about policies, rules and regulations for LVNs can be answered here:

Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians

I found quite a bit of info just by using the search bar. Best wishes! :)

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