RN thinking of quitting job b/c of IV's.

rescueninja1987 · Jan 22, 2017

My two cents: go get something where you infrequently (or maybe never) have to start IVs, maybe even utilization review, teaching..there's a world of opportunities for an experienced nurse. In the meantime, the next time someone cusses at you or embarrasses you in front of a patient, firmly tell them (not in front of the patient) that you aren't going to put up with it, and they will probably stop. Best of luck!

Beldar_the_Cenobite, CNA · Jan 22, 2017

Do the people that cuss at you ask you why you can't do your IV things? If someone, the same person, kept requesting me to do something for them without telling me why to help me understand if they're a slacker or if they really have a sort of disorder, I'd be really pissed. If you told me "Hey, can you help me with something? My right side is weaker than my left. I can do the rest, I just need help with this one thing." I would have been like yeah sure. But if you said "I need help with this" because you want to text on your phone, I'd find a way to transfer or find a way to get you fired for dicking off.

If you explain something to someone you want help from, you can REALLY go a long way. Same with teaching someone. If you explain to them in a certain way without coming off as a rude *****, you'd go a long way.

If you have a form of paralysis on your right side at birth, how is that your fault? It's not. So, if you're afraid to speak up, why be afraid? Just say something. If they got a ******* problem, they can take it to your boss. And your boss will want to know and then you can tell them "I have a disability in my right side of my body and this employee cuss me out and called me one arm or retard or whatever and he had a problem with it."

It's no ones fault that you have a problem on your right side. It's not your fault because you said you were born with it or whatever so it is what it is! If you have medical documentation that can prove it, you should have employees looking out for you while you do your job.

Phe12 · Jan 22, 2017

Do the people that cuss at you ask you why you can't do your IV things? If someone, the same person, kept requesting me to do something for them without telling me why to help me understand if they're a slacker or if they really have a sort of disorder, I'd be really pissed. If you told me "Hey, can you help me with something? My right side is weaker than my left. I can do the rest, I just need help with this one thing." I would have been like yeah sure. But if you said "I need help with this" because you want to text on your phone, I'd find a way to transfer or find a way to get you fired for dicking off.
If you explain something to someone you want help from, you can REALLY go a long way. Same with teaching someone. If you explain to them in a certain way without coming off as a rude *****, you'd go a long way.
If you have a form of paralysis on your right side at birth, how is that your fault? It's not. So, if you're afraid to speak up, why be afraid? Just say something. If they got a ******* problem, they can take it to your boss. And your boss will want to know and then you can tell them "I have a disability in my right side of my body and this employee cuss me out and called me one arm or retard or whatever and he had a problem with it."
It's no ones fault that you have a problem on your right side. It's not your fault because you said you were born with it or whatever so it is what it is! If you have medical documentation that can prove it, you should have employees looking out for you while you do your job.

They all know, I make sure they understand. And I'm not lazy at all. I do my job, sometimes I feel I go above and beyond. I had two daisy nominations while I was at the hospital. SHE just acts like it's a hassle(it literally takes her like 2 seconds). And I'm always willing to help no matter what the situation because I know what it's like to need help. Nursing is a team effort and I will say that until I'm blue in the face. You could work on the worst floor there ever was but if you worked with a good group things wouldn't be near as bad had you had a team of nurses that were hateful, etc. I always had helpful nurses at the hospital. And I'm actually taking things home and practicing with the equipment. I'm really trying.

Wolf at the Door, BSN · Jan 22, 2017

Yes, she does. She doesn't care, I actually don't even think she realizes what she says hurts my feelings to the point that I've went and cried in the bathroom.

Cry? Oh darn. Pull her to the side and let her know to not speak to you in that manner. Have a backbone stand up for yourself.

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Jan 22, 2017

I'm not trying to be mean, but personally I would not have taken a job at an "infusion clinic...cancer center" if I had limited IV skills. It isn't fair to the patient, if you have trouble starting their IV's or drawing blood, etc. There are plenty of nursing jobs you could try that don't involve IV sticks, and won't matter much about fine motor skills with your weak limb. School nursing, mental health nursing, etc. Good luck to you.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jan 22, 2017

I cannot fathom what kind of work environment you are in , where a fellow nurse "cusses" at you. That in itself, is enough to blow that pop stand.

Don't set yourself up for failure by challenging your weakest point , on a daily basis.

You are fortunate to be able to return to your former position.

Best wishes, consider a change after the baby dust settles.

twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN · Jan 22, 2017

I've never been great at IVs, and I don't even have a reason. I often trade tasks with other nurses to help them help me. Is there something you could offer to do in exchange for the help you're receiving? People tend to respond well to "give and take", but not so well to "take and take".
If not, this job may not be a good fit for you and you may be right to consider moving on. It sounds like you've had better experiences elsewhere, anyway.

But she can't trade...because she works at an infusion clinic. It doesn't make sense to me. If that were my weak point (granted for good reason) I wouldn't have even applied.

Sour Lemon · Jan 22, 2017

Cry? Oh darn. Pull her to the side and let her know to not speak to you in that manner. Have a backbone stand up for yourself.

It might be hard to stand up, have a backbone, and then grovel for help immediately afterward. When you're dependent on someone's assistance, they have all the power.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jan 26, 2017

Hi all,
Im gonna start out with the basics. I'm 24, been a nurse for right at 2 years. I've had three nursing jobs so far. I've been at my new one for around 2 1/2 months. I also had a stroke a birth so my right side is weaker than my left. I say that because nursing school was hell for me because I had to learn differently from everyone else because I have very limited use/dexterity in that right hand. Most skills I have become decent at. However, IV's are my weakest link. I do really well threading because it's one handed, not so well with connecting the tubing. My new job is an infusion clinic where we do iv's and ports all day long( I was not aware of how many iv's because we are a cancer center". I SUCK. Their equipment is different(harder for me to use) and no one is helpful. If I don't get an iv I feel like the worst nurse ever. The nurses are mean and one literally cusses at me. It's getting to me. Advice please. Thinking of going back to my old job, especially since I'm pregnant now and they would reinstate my hire date so that I would qualify for 12 weeks off with my baby.

If you knew you had difficulty starting IVs, perhaps an infusion center is not the best fit for you. However, your statement about the nurses being "mean" makes me wonder if there isn't more to the story.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jan 26, 2017

Do the people that cuss at you ask you why you can't do your IV things? If someone, the same person, kept requesting me to do something for them without telling me why to help me understand if they're a slacker or if they really have a sort of disorder, I'd be really pissed. If you told me "Hey, can you help me with something? My right side is weaker than my left. I can do the rest, I just need help with this one thing." I would have been like yeah sure. But if you said "I need help with this" because you want to text on your phone, I'd find a way to transfer or find a way to get you fired for dicking off.
If you explain something to someone you want help from, you can REALLY go a long way. Same with teaching someone. If you explain to them in a certain way without coming off as a rude *****, you'd go a long way.
If you have a form of paralysis on your right side at birth, how is that your fault? It's not. So, if you're afraid to speak up, why be afraid? Just say something. If they got a ******* problem, they can take it to your boss. And your boss will want to know and then you can tell them "I have a disability in my right side of my body and this employee cuss me out and called me one arm or retard or whatever and he had a problem with it."
It's no ones fault that you have a problem on your right side. It's not your fault because you said you were born with it or whatever so it is what it is! If you have medical documentation that can prove it, you should have employees looking out for you while you do your job.

While it is not the OP's fault that she has right sided weakness, it IS her fault that she took a position at an infusion center knowing she had difficulty with IVs because of that weakness. If she took the job thinking that she'd get better at IVs and she's not getting better, it's not a good fit. If she took the job thinking she wouldn't actually have to start IVs, either because she was misled or because she didn't ask the right questions, it's still not a good fit. If some other nurse has to help her with all of her IV sticks, it's not fair to the other nurses who have their own work to do. And if she just repeatedly sticks the patients over and over, that's not fair to the patients.

To me, it's the same as the Witness who wanted to take a job in the ICU but wanted the other nurses to hang her blood transfusions for her because it's against her religion. In both cases, the poster knew (or has figured out) that she is going to require an above-average amount of help from her peers but has rationalized asking for that help because it's her dream to work in that environment, or because she believes in teamwork and everyone else should just help her. No consideration was given to the safety of the patients who would have to wait for their transfusion until someone else was available to set it up and start it for the poster, or the patients who would have to be stuck multiple times, blowing their few good veins or wait for someone else to come by and start their IV. If you aren't capable of doing the job -- whether for physical reasons or religious reasons -- don't take the job. Or figure out that it's a bad fit for you and leave.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jan 26, 2017

This may be an unpopular opinion but if you do as many PIVs as you are implying it really isn't your co-workers responsibility to make up for your deficiencies. I don't mind one bit helping mine and I frequently do but if there was a person who routinely could not do something I probably would start getting a little frustrated too. You need to be able to do the job. It's your responsibility to figure out how. I'm really sorry you're struggling like this. It must be frustrating.

Unpopular opinion or not, I agree with you. If someone ALWAYS has to help you, even if it "just takes two seconds", you're slowing down their workday. That's not fair to the other nurses. While "cussing" at a coworker is not right, I can understand the frustration they must feel.

la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2017

Infusion center nursing is challenging. Attaching the t-connector to the cannula after it's in is hard enough for me with two normally-abled hands -- I couldn't imagine doing it with a weakness in my dominant hand.

Um, this is maybe weird, and I would really only try it in an infusion center, but, is it possible for the patient to assist you in any way? I say only try this in an infusion center since the patients are veterans of the routine. If you have a hard time keeping the blood from getting everywhere, maybe you can ask them to apply pressure above the insertion site for you so you have time to connect the extension? The transition from holding pressure above the insertion and then trying to screw in the connector is usually where I have problems.

I know you think you might not be able to trade but there are some things that nurses don't like doing (i.e. I've known nurses who won't access a port that requires a certain ginormous needle, like an 1.5" - I know those don't come along every day though, at least where I'm at and that's pediatrics). Maybe someone needs a PICC line dressing/cap change that you can trade for? Maybe someone's IM Erwinia?

As to the nurse that swears at you, that's inappropriate and she needs to be called out for it, especially if this is happening in front of patients!