Nurse of 10 years can't start IV's

[peaceful2100]

I am stuck. I have been a nurse for 10 years and still can not start an IV. How pathetic is that? I have been trying so hard to get a nursing job like case management but apparently many others are trying too. I am currently without a job but need a job. Problem is all the available jobs require IV skills. Stupid me shouldn't have picked nursing. I still have $27,000 worth of student loans so I feel truly, truly stuck. Any suggestions for me on what I can do.

[HikingEDRN, BSN, RN]

OP, I am so sorry about the loss of your child (((hugs)))

As for IVs, or any other skill, you gain proficiency by repetition. If you have not started an iv in 8 years, there is no reason to think you should be good at it and it is certainly not pathetic. A refresher iv or phlebotomy class is the way to go if there is one in your area. Good luck.

[Gabby-RN]

When I worked in homecare my agency had me spend 3 days at a lab that it was affiliated with drawing blood. It really helped boost my confidence as well as gave me the opportunity to get tips all day from the other staff. Maybe you could do something like this.

[hope3456, ASN, RN]

There are "tips" for starting iv's on Pinterest and tutorials on YouTube. I took an LPN IV certification class and it was helpful. The instructor pointed out to me what I was doing wrong - not anchoring the vein well enough.

[iluvgusgus]

Practice makes perfect, maybe you could take a refresher course for nurses at one of your local hospitals. If you have to start an IV, maybe your preceptor at your next job can just refresh you on that skill using their specific supplies they use. There's no shame in needing refreshing. Also, a pt is not going to know whether you are good at IVs or not, always give it a try or 2 and then get another nurse if needed, no shame in that either.

[ChipNurse]

Nursing isn't defined by how well you can start an IV... there are much better skills to have such as critical thinking skills and keeping your patients safe and well. I am 50/50 with my IV starts... sometimes I can get the hardest and then other times there will be a great looking vein that I just can't get. I just get someone else to start it if I can't get it. Always attempt atleast 1 time for the practice, but I try to avoid poking my patients more than twice and then get the best nurse to get the patient the 3rd time. Practice makes perfect.

[NYbabyRN, BSN, RN]

I can commiserate - I've been on the floor 2+ years and have never felt competent with IVs. So I asked my coworkers to start them or called clinical support. I worked with an RN with 30 + years experience who never started her IVs, she did the same thing as I did. Then she went to ambulatory surgery and she has gotten good at them since she has to start them daily on pre-op patients. She has motivated me to face my weakness and fear of sucking at starting IVs. I now practice, practice, practice whenever I can. I still am not great, but feeling slightly better and slowly gaining skills from practicing. I truly hope you can feel confident in your ability to re-learn this skill and find a job that allows you the time and ability to have a chance.

[hurleygirli1]

ShillaBSN...I am PRN IV team at a hospital and I am a BSN RN. I don't know about anywhere else, but our IV team is all RNs, not phlebotomy tech.

We get calls from floor nurses all the time to start IVs, sometimes I wonder why they even called since the patient is an easy stick, but many times they are ridiculously hard stick renal patients! Some people just don't have the veins for IVs, then they get PiCCs.

OP... Does your hospital have an IV team? Can you work with them for a day? When I oriented to this position, I put in all the IVs and the regular full time IV people were there to give some tips and direction. After 5 days I was on my own. Two things are VERY important: 1) PRACTICE!!!! It is a learned skill and the more you do, the better you get! DO NOT shy away from the them! 2) get over the mental block of "I can't." Walk into the room confidently and use positive self talk. And even IV team will get someone once in a while that we have to call backup for (usually ICU charge nurse).

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Please don't feel dumb bad, inadequate, about IV's. Admit you are out of practice and read the thousand of hints you will find in an All-nurses search, and You-Tube has great educational videos on IV starts.[/quote']

THIS.

YouTube is my friend these days...

[RNGriffin]

Psychiatric facilities, LTC, Rehabs..etc. rare to have to start or manage IVs

[peaceful2100, BSN, RN]

Thank you all for your tips!!

[Oedgar]

This thread makes me feel so much better! I worked in a Pedi/Pulmonary unit as a new grad LVN. Let's just say that in my two years there, I did not have one single successful IV start to my name! My preceptor taught me to draw blood... which I did occasionally, but mostly just called the lab to do it because I was busy. I tried a few IVs. The majority of our pts were CF pts or other chronically ill kids. Their veins were either shot or they had Midlines or ports. After a few difficult tries I was just so intimidated and called the IV team. That was really a hindrance though. If somebody needed a med and the IV therapist had not arrived yet to start the IV. This was 20 years ago and I was so young. I wish I'd thought to ask to spend a day with the IV team. I went to clinic nursing after that, where we never started an IV.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Not really pathetic. except you had 10 years to develop the skill and did not.

I was in a facility that had an IV team... got too apathetic to learn.

When the powers that be did away with the IV team (money ya know)...I sought out the nurses I knew were the best at IV starts and asked them to (ahem) help me hone my skills.

You tube has videos that can do the same.

Good luck, keep us posted.