Are there other new grads on your unit? I ask because new grads tend to be rare in L&D and many experienced nurses are a little wary of them. Just make sure that you are asking for help when you...
We also use the "wheal" method but we use 1% lidocaine. It makes a huge difference for the pt and it's actually a positive for a novice IV starter too because you can move the needle around a lot more...
I had to do ACLS when I started my flight nurse position. Otherwise it's not required on our L&D unit. It makes me feel better to have it though because the code team in our hospital (OBS, gyne,...
I agree with the others that it has a lot to do with confidence. Even now that I'm experienced, I'll occassionally get on a "bad run" where I miss a bunch. The more you miss, the more your confidence...