My lie to patient's mom

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

I'm a new grad working in an emergency department. I've been starting to learn how to do IVs. My patient today started to get anxious about putting in an IV. I reassured her that I was just going to look at her veins first and find a really good one. The mom turns to me and says "you're an IV expert right?"

And I said "Yep."

Luckily I got it without trouble on the first stick.

On a scale of 1-10, how bad of a lie was that?

[Asystole RN]

You are an expert, maybe not an expert within your field, but within the community you are.

[TDub, MSN, EdD]

Exactly-better 'n her, anyway!

[Daliadreamer]

I'm horrible at IV's, but I will never tell a patient that. Instead of three strikes your out, I leave it at 2 so that I can grab the awesome RN that gets IV's in the first try. I do get IV's in more than I miss, but I wouldn't call myself great.

I wouldn't want, say, my dentist to say "Well, I'm not that great at filling a cavity, but let's give it a try".

[MurrR]

n. expert: A person with extensive knowledge or ability in a given subject;

Compare your knowledge of IV placement to hers. Your expertise is obviously far greater.

I'd say your lie rates a big ol' 0 on the 1-10 scale of seriousness.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

A friend of mine (a neuro PA) was putting a halo onto a spinal fracture patient for the first time. The patient's father introduced himself as the head of neurosurgery for a major teaching hospital. He then asks my friend how many times he has done this. He answered "I can't even tell you how many times". He then had to put it on while this guy watched!

I say "I'm pretty good but there are no guarantees in life". As far as your statement, you are an expert. You've studied the procedure, you know how to do it, and have done it before. I think you handled it just right. Just because you might be a champion among peers doesn't mean you won't miss. Or you might be a new grad and score on the first try. Making the patient feel comfortable is the point here.

[Darkfield]

I would never lie to patient about their condition or prognosis, but about my own ability to do something? Definitely. Your patients need to have confidence in you, and if they think you can't do one thing, they won't want you to do anything else. To learn to start iv's, you have to just stick people.

[mmm cdiff]

Pshhh, that's a zero. Besides, if you'd conveyed that you're not an expert, the patient probably would have gotten more anxious and made her a harder stick.

[navyguyhm3]

not a lie at all. As a nurse, you have to show your confidence...even if you lack that confidence in certain areas. You walk in the room with IV supplies in hand with an air of professionalism and you give the patients and family the IDEA that you know what you're doing and that you're a professional. than way, you give the impression to them that you DO know what you're doing and that you are THE EXPERT! and when asked..you simply state that, you have been trained over and over and that you are very proficient in this and have done it many times.

Or, you could be honest and say...uh..nope, i have never done this before or..i'm not that good and lose all confidence from your patients!! ALWAYs give the impression that you know what you're doing. If you mess up, well, every other nurse has and people understand nobody in infallible.

[jeyre1847]

I'd say if you got the IV in on the first time while under pressure about being an expert on IVs, then you're pretty darn good. Stop questioning yourself about exaggerating your skills and be proud of yourself, it's a hard skill to master :)

[BrookeeLou_RN]

If you get the IV on fist try you were an expert..at least for that stick.. It is not a lie at all. merely reassuring the patient you know what you are doing ans since your proved it.. You Are the EXPERT! Every expert has to start somewhere!!

[kool-aide, RN]

You are an expert, maybe not an expert within your field, but within the community you are.

wise answer.