My First Shot!!!

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Mar 18, 2005

Did it today. I was nervous too. It was a pre-packaged Lovenox shot. The patient's skin was thicker than I had anticipated, but I got it in enough, and all the medicine went in. No blood, no casualties :roll

:D I love these "firsts". :D

Good job ! See? Now it's not so scary anymore !

stidget99 · Mar 18, 2005

Did it today. I was nervous too. It was a pre-packaged Lovenox shot. The patient's skin was thicker than I had anticipated, but I got it in enough, and all the medicine went in. No blood, no casualties :roll

Congrats! Gotta love those firsts!! You always remember them.

Oh, and just FYI---IMO -I think that the needles on those pre-loaded Lovenox syringes are kind of dull. They always seem to go in hard. I will bet that the next time you give a Lovenox injection you will see that it happens the same way but the one-handed application of the safety part of the syringe is great!

Nurseinthemaking · Mar 18, 2005

I gave my first shot yesterday too. IT WAS ABUT FREAKING TIME...Guess what, it was the LOVENOX TOO!!!! Then I came back today and gave it again and then one I had to draw up and yup it seemed way easier to give, I thought it was me, but maybe the prepackaged needles are duller. Shoot who knows, all I know is boy am I ever glad to finally ge that over. I thought I would never get a pt that was going to need a shot. My fear was graduating without ever giving a shot to anyone other then an orange. :rotfl:

tmiller027 · Mar 19, 2005

Thanks for the commentsn and encouragement guys.

Yeah, my instructor had thought I gave one before. She helped me with the G-tube meds then she goes "Okay, well, you know the shot goes in the abdomen 2 inches from the umbilicus, so go ahead, I've gotta help another student." then she left. I didn't even know how to get the goofy cap off the needle, but my floor nurse helped me with that, then I gave it no problem.

Then I turn around and houskeeping had pulled the sharps container to change it, but she hadn't come back yet. My FIRST shot and housekeeping decided THEN to pull the sharps container :confused:

So I capped the needled by the one-handed scoop method and walked outside. She was coming down teh hall with a new one and saw me standing there, so she held it up so I could drop it in. Like I wasn't nervous enough LOL

nicholas'mommy · Mar 19, 2005

Did it today. I was nervous too. It was a pre-packaged Lovenox shot. The patient's skin was thicker than I had anticipated, but I got it in enough, and all the medicine went in. No blood, no casualties :roll

:nurse: Hi, I know exactly how you feel. I started my first IV today and I was so nervous. But, I got it on my first try!! It's amazing how nervous we can get over these nursing things. I have given a SC shot, but not an IM one. I am really nervous about that too. I have heard some horror stories about people hitting the bone when they give one. Good luck on anymore of your firsts in nursing :yelclap:

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 19, 2005

way to go,guys!

Nesher, BSN, RN · Mar 19, 2005

The first IM injection I gave - I recall my hands shaking so hard I thought I would drop it. I remember my instructor giving me the "oh ahead" nod of her head and I managed to not kill him with it. The second one I gave - same instructor I got blood return - boy was she shocked - she had never seen real live blood return with an IM injection! I never have since...

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Mar 19, 2005

Ahhhhhh my first shots! I remember them oh so well! I did my first as IM (student/student) and was nervous but just kind of had the 'just do it' attitude and the student said she didn't feel a thing! I was so happy!

Then it was sq time! I don't know why...but somehow that one made me sooooooo nervous! I was shaking so hard that I was sure I was going to make a big old laceration just on my hands shaking so much! Again, did it...shaking like crazy, and the student was shocked..he didn't feel a thing!!!!!!

After that I was pretty confident, and my many diabetic residents say that I am the best at giving injections and only want me..LOL! Oh great...I became the exclusive injector for over 20 residents..LOL!

Funny thing, but after I was out of school I was a camp nurse (after a med surge stent that went horribly wrong..LOL!) and I learned to do injections from the kids! They were so smart, had such great techniques..I think I owe it all to them, not to mention really great advice and learning techniques that help diabetics of any age :). I guess I felt kids would be my worse critics..and I took their advice...paid off :).

stidget99 · Mar 19, 2005

I gave my first shot yesterday too. IT WAS ABUT FREAKING TIME...Guess what, it was the LOVENOX TOO!!!! Then I came back today and gave it again and then one I had to draw up and yup it seemed way easier to give, I thought it was me, but maybe the prepackaged needles are duller. Shoot who knows, all I know is boy am I ever glad to finally ge that over. I thought I would never get a pt that was going to need a shot. My fear was graduating without ever giving a shot to anyone other then an orange. :rotfl:

Just FYI.......the lovenox syringes have a one-handed safety guide.........keep pushing in on the plunger...it's spring loaded...the needle goes into the barrel. Pretty nifty. It's amazing to me how many seasoned nurses don't know this little piece of information.

Nurseinthemaking · Mar 19, 2005

Just FYI.......the lovenox syringes have a one-handed safety guide.........keep pushing in on the plunger...it's spring loaded...the needle goes into the barrel. Pretty nifty. It's amazing to me how many seasoned nurses don't know this little piece of information.

Yeah that was a cool little jobber. She told me after I gave the injection to give it to her she wanted to show me something, then she said, now...do this and showed me what to do and poof, that needle was covered. I LOVE THAT!!!!

Around here if any recapped syrenges are found in the sharp's it is a $10,000 fine. ONE capped needle can cause a facility that. I don't think the spring loaded syrenge counts and I really hope they all go to that!!!

KrisRNwannabe · Mar 19, 2005

I always thought that since i give myself my depo-provera injections that I would be fine giving them to someone else. wrong!! we had to sub-q's on each other in lab and I remember standing there ready to do it. and I am like ok here comes the poke and i am still standing there like anytime i am going to do this!! now I am a pro and they don't bother me. My husband looks like he is going to pass out when he watches me give myself IMs!!