Problems with IV's

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2012

yep. most ivs are put in by nurses, and we do see blood from time to time. usually it's someone else's, but as we get older, there are more, umm, opportunities for us to become patients, so we get stuck for blood too.

one thing you'll learn in school is that you never, ever tell a patient not to be afraid or in any other way deny their feelings, because it makes them feel like nobody's listening to something that's very, very important to them. and remember also that for some people it takes a lot to be able to express their feelings. so i'm not going to say, "don't worry, you'll get used to it."

what i will say is, "many, many nurses felt like that at the beginning of their education. as they went through school and their first year or two of working as a nurse, they found their anxieties and fears decreasing the more they learned. some things you can do to help yourself when you feel like that are take three deep breaths, remind yourself that the patient is more important than you are at that moment, and think of all the nurses who used to feel like this but got over it. before you know it the moment will pass. can you try that?"

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2012

In many places, the IV's are inserted and blood is drawn by nurses. However, some facilities do have phlebotomists of lab techs that draw blood and a resource nurse that inserts IV's.

I can tell you with 100% certainty that having trouble getting your blood drawn does NOT mean that you will have a problem drawing blood or starting IV's on others. I don't like getting my blood drawn at all. In fact, I have passed out several times while getting blood drawn. But I draw blood or start IV's on others on a daily basis and I have never had a problem with it. I only get that weak and faint feeling when there is a needle in my arm, not when I'm putting one in others.