Practicing IV sticks

Bipley · Nov 15, 2005

Just a really quick question that I needed to ask some of the nurses here. I'm a student that will be graduating in July. I have ten weeks of med-surg clinicals left and there's a good chance that I will be starting an IV on a patient. I really, really, really do not want to have a patient be my first stick. My school has a policy against sticking other students so weren't allowed doing that so we did it with (of all things) the stupid plastic on the back of the IV start kits. :rotfl: I really don't feel comfortable with that especially since the only shots I've given are SQ ones.
My instructor told us that if given the chance we could take home some of the IV starts and practice on someone who was willing. So I took a few home with me and my boyfriend (being the great guy he is!) told me he'd let me do it. Now, I'm just making sure that this is 100% okay. I of course took home a bunch of alcohol pads as well. I asked my mom if she'd let me and she freaked out saying 'No I don't want any air bubbles!' lol. Now...I don't really think that this would cause air bubbles, would it? I don't want to kill my boyfriend!
Anyways, if there's anything really unsafe about this, please let me know! It's only the needle and catheter, there's no tubing or saline involved.

By this time you should have had lots of training that would answer these questions. If you don't know the basics, perhaps have your instructor go over it with you step by step?

vegnurse21 · Nov 15, 2005

What? I do know the basics of inserting the needle and what to do. Like I said, I just don't want my patient to be my very first stick. I tend to get nervous (well, who doesnt? ha!) and I'd rather be quite confident in myself. I know how to insert the needle and advance the cathether...there's really not much else to it than that for what I'd be doing. When I'd be doing my stick with a patient my instructor would of course be there with me anyways doing each step with me. It's the stick I'm worrying about here.

HappyJaxRN · Nov 15, 2005

What? I do know the basics of inserting the needle and what to do. Like I said, I just don't want my patient to be my very first stick. I tend to get nervous (well, who doesnt? ha!) and I'd rather be quite confident in myself. I know how to insert the needle and advance the cathether...there's really not much else to it than that for what I'd be doing. When I'd be doing my stick with a patient my instructor would of course be there with me anyways doing each step with me. It's the stick I'm worrying about here.

No. It shouldn't cause any air bubbles, but I don't know the supplies that you have. Do you plan on connecting the INT tubing and flushing with NS? That's where the air bubbles come into play. If that's the case, make sure you have enough NS to prime the line. Without the INT tubing, the most you'll have is some blood from the vein. Good luck. :)

vegnurse21 · Nov 15, 2005

No, there's no tubing and no saline involved. Just the needle and the catheter. That's something I don't feel comfortable doing outside of the hospital and without an instructor present so I wouldn't dare do that.

Thanks so much for the advice. :)

HappyJaxRN · Nov 15, 2005

Hmmm... My message didn't post...

Then you SHOULD be okay. Good luck.

misschelei · Nov 15, 2005

You shouldn't have any issues with air bubbles. That can only happen if you are using saline but tiny air bubbles are not going to kill any adult. In a hospital orientation we were once told you need inches of air in a line to kill someone. If you have someone willing to let you practice just do it. Most of us don't get heavy IV insertion experience in school. I stuck a 16 year old in the ED once in school that's it. It's 90% confidence and 10% skill. You just need practice which you will get as an RN.