~Need some tips for successful I.V. starts~

janda03 · Apr 2, 2004

Try these:

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

http://www.nursingcenter.com/library/JournalArticle.asp?Article_ID=411426

Kudra · Apr 2, 2004

i was having a hard time of it too, so i ended up doing a 3 day certification course... by far the best thing i could have done, by way of improving my technique...

beth

NurseDixie · Apr 2, 2004

Thank you Beth and janda03, I think the websites are very helpful and I will look into getting into a certification course for IV therapy.

Dixie

yvonneRN2B · Apr 2, 2004

My hospital always offers to send the new grads to pre-op to do IV's for the day. It is very benificial and that is all you do all day.

SURFnNURSE · Apr 2, 2004

Just keep on practicing and dont get discouaged. Even the best at iv sticks have to start somewhere. It took me a long time to feel comfortable with starting IV's. Just keep trying and hang in there.

TinyNurse, RN · Apr 3, 2004

I work in the ED, and get several sticks a day. Though it seems that when you can't get one,after 2 sticks, there are always those "nurses" that you can count on to get a difficult stick. I don't think that I'm the only one who realizes this. Others do to, and use these nurses as a resourse........ I'm ultimately convinced that it is years of practice.......

rpbear · Apr 13, 2004

I am a new grad who workes in L&D, almost every one gets an IV, so I have had lots of practice. I got the first 4 or 5 on my first try! Then I had my first miss, tried again and got it. Next pt, tried twice, my preceptor tried twice, another nurse tried twice all with no luck, then we called the CRNA and she even had to try twice so It mde me feel good that it wasn't me it was a difficult pt. I took an IV class in school, it covered a lot of the theory of iv starts and fluids, but we only got to stick a model arm no real human sticks, but I think it really helped me with the "how" to do an IV, but the rest is just practice.

Good Luck!

Molly