practicing iv

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Like some one in another thread I am terrible at IVs. I work peids. and can't even start an I V on an adult so now they want me to practice on kids. Somehow I find starting IVs on kids for practice unethical when I can't do one well on an adult. No one ever suggested that I just work on my IV skills with adults first. No I have to work on starting them on kids.

Makes no sense. We have an IV nurse and I often use them for my adult pts. We also use them for our peids patients when a nurse can't get one in. But now I am supposed to practice on the kid rather than call IV nurse. Heck if I can't get it the first time on an adult or if I can't find a good vein I don't even try I call the iv nurse.

I have never had an objection to using the iv nurse for an adult for any reason. and the iv nurse is not objecting to doing peids starts. Even when we don't even try to start an IV there is no objection.

No one seems to get how wrong this thinking is. It is not like we don't have an iv nurse or there are not enough of them or they don't do peids.

Where I came from only nurses who were skilled at peid ivs started them on kids no one else was allowed to try.

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Specializes in ER.

Sorry to disagree with you, I have worked several different ER settings from rural to level 1 trauma, you need to be doing your own IV's waiting for the IV nurse delays care. If you are going to call yourself a pediatric nurse you should be able to perform all the skills of said nurse. I am definately NOT saying to torture kids but you need to take the time to look and feel for veins learn your landmarks and develop your skills. Try at least once and then call the IV nurse, how are you ever going to learn if you never try, kids are different and even though learning basic IV starts on adults is important knowing how to perfom IV's on kids is essential.

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Maybe you can ask to spend some time with the IV nurses. Or in the ER (someplace with a high volume of sticks.)

Does your facility require/offer an IV class?

The only way to become skilled is to practice and obtain the skills. I don't think it's good to rely on the IV team for anything but the hardest sticks. Like the pp said, it could really put you in a bad situation if a situation was going south and they were busy.

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

Does your facility have a surgery department? Ask if you can spend time in the ER or same day surgery to practice IV's.

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