Needle in a vein question

If you are drawing blood or inserting an IV can a patient feel if the needle is in the vein or not?

I don't think so.

When I've missed an IV and tried to thread it is more painful for the patient than if I thread when I've gotten it. That said there are precious few patients that have had enough IV's that they could accurately tell the difference.

No, but if you try to thread a too-large-bore into a small vein some can feel that---the sensation of the edges scraping along the venous wall.

The pain assiocatiated with an IV stick is from the nerves at skin level, unless you happen to hit a nerve that may be close to the outside of the vien since nerves, arteries and viens tend to be in bundles. So, not really. The pressure can be felt. On a missed IV attempt, you are in the connective tissue, and closer to the nerves, that is why they can be more painful than a succesful stick. Another point, the size of the needle does not matter. A 22ga causes the same pain as a 16ga, since the nerve endings are not as finely differeniated as they are at the finger tips.

The pain assiocatiated with an IV stick is from the nerves at skin level, unless you happen to hit a nerve that may be close to the outside of the vien since nerves, arteries and viens tend to be in bundles. So, not really. The pressure can be felt. On a missed IV attempt, you are in the connective tissue, and closer to the nerves, that is why they can be more painful than a succesful stick. Another point, the size of the needle does not matter. A 22ga causes the same pain as a 16ga, since the nerve endings are not as finely differeniated as they are at the finger tips.

Im going to disagree, in fact I have had pts tell me a 22ga cath hurts more than an 18ga. My theory is that the large bevel of an 18ga cath often times completely severes a nerve/nerve ending at which point it receeds out of the way. Where as a 22ga might only patially severe or even fit entirely within the boarders of a nerve and remain there the whole time you are trying to start a line.

Rj