RN's who cannot insert IV's being Fired???

[maidy]

Hello! just wanna know if it is mandatory for all RN's to insert IV's? Because a fellow nurse who is more than well experienced and very skillful in other procedures and previously IV certified too who refused to do IV's was terminated. Nurse claims she developed phobia to it after a very bad experience with a patient. Can a person really be forced to do anything that she is not comfortable and has developed an aversion to it. Is it fair to the hospital and to the nurse? Thanks!

[Lurksalot, BSN, RN]

Well, I really feel sorry for my co-worker because she is a such a sweet thing on the floor and also to the patients. She will always try to help us co-workers in our NGT, Foley cath and dressing if she can because not all of us are also proficient in that aspect. We always have 13-15 patients on the med surg floor and it really helped a lot. We are just dismayed that management chose the opportunity to fire her because she said she will not insert iv's anymore after a nasty incident when she was slapped by a patient. probabaly hurt her ego and unnerved her. we had tried to help her with her iv's in exchange that she will do other procedures. it worked well until someone told management about it and decided that she will be place in day surgery just so she will have that training again. But she refused and that is how they fired her. Was that really fair? I mean it could not have been a big issue but they thought otherwise.

Well, that certainly explains more of the situation. It sounds like the nurse had an awful experience, that is sad. So management tried to get her more training, and when she refused they fired her? I don't blame them, the management tried to help her out to re-train the skill, she refused. They made the effort to provide her additional training to complete her duties. Management obviously wants all of their RNs to agree to attempt to start IVs. Is it fair for a company to have to retain a nurse who refuses to perform her duties? Is it fair that an RN was fired? It's not about fair. Hopefully she will find another position where IV starts are not required. It's understandable she had a bad experience. But it's also understandable some employers would not keep an RN who would not do IVs.

[maidy]

BTW, where is TEAM Nursing here? isn't that supposed to help her out or work as a TEAM. just asking?

[ZASHAGALKA, RN]

BTW, where is TEAM Nursing here? isn't that supposed to help her out or work as a TEAM. just asking?

How is dumping an essential element of your job on your peers TEAMWORK?

I'm a 'team' player and I lend my expertise when needed to others and have them lend their expertise to me.

But that is not the same thing as demanding that my peers do some distasteful part of my job for me. No, THAT is where the 'teamwork' broke down; not in the responses on this thread.

Your co-worker, if she absolutely refused to do a legitimate part of her job description, EVEN AFTER HER EMPLOYER offered remedial experiences: she should have been fired.

It simply doesn't matter how 'nice' a person or nurse she is/was. Refusing to do part of your job is destabilizing to the work environment. It's an unprofessional 'poison' and I'm not surprised your employer would eliminate that attitude lest it become contagious.

I'll tell you frankly: if I knew management was aware of such behavior and allowed it to foster - my thoughts would be, what can I REFUSE TO DO and get away with it? Because, I have a list of things I'd rather not do as a nurse . . .

~faith,

Timothy.

[chadash]

This is tough, isnt it?

Sounds like this is not an "either or", but "both" kind of situation.

Yes, not being able to do IVs for whatever reason does not imply you are not a good nurse. And yes, if your job requires that skill, you either need to develop it, or find a job that is a better fit.

May be this will be a positive change for this nurse.

[barbyann]

I wonder if in this situation the phobia is considered "work related" and the nurse is able to be compensated under workmans comp law?

[leslie :-D]

I wonder if in this situation the phobia is considered "work related" and the nurse is able to be compensated under workmans comp law?

hmmmm.

that sounds like a slippery slope to me.

if that's the case, i could think of sev'l work-related issues to seek workmans comp.

some areas are much grayer than others.

leslie

[maidy]

Well, for some reason other RN's also have some glaring inadequacies like basic assessments which is "generic" too, now... i mean i would rather exchange a good RN doing good assessments for an RN who cannot do IV's anytime and willingly help her in getting her iv's done rather than compromising patient's safey with poor assessments and having both of us writing incident reports. I believe that all RN's has a strong and weak points and you cannot know everything. But if you work as a TEAM then you add up those good points will make your job more pleasant and enjoyable.

[fergus51]

Well, I really feel sorry for my co-worker because she is a such a sweet thing on the floor and also to the patients. She will always try to help us co-workers in our NGT, Foley cath and dressing if she can because not all of us are also proficient in that aspect. We always have 13-15 patients on the med surg floor and it really helped a lot. We are just dismayed that management chose the opportunity to fire her because she said she will not insert iv's anymore after a nasty incident when she was slapped by a patient. probabaly hurt her ego and unnerved her. we had tried to help her with her iv's in exchange that she will do other procedures. it worked well until someone told management about it and decided that she will be place in day surgery just so she will have that training again. But she refused and that is how they fired her. Was that really fair? I mean it could not have been a big issue but they thought otherwise.

I think it was fair. They tried to work with her and she didn't want to. It is unfortunate for your coworker and for you, but not unfair. Plus, if someone told management chances are it bothered them even if it didn't bother you.

I don't see what other nurses' deficiencies have to do with the issue. If they suck at assessments, you better believe management should be involved and they should be offered more training. That isn't tit for tat foolishness, it's patient safety.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

I've been in hospital supervision and nursing management in several different facilities where there were and weren't IV teams and I know IV therapy was a subject that was given to RNs during orientations because they needed to know the hospital policies connected with them. I worked on IV Teams for 6 years and not one of them EVER discouraged any staff nurse from starting or learning to start their own IVs if they so desired. In fact, we offered staff nurses the opportunity to make rounds with our IV teams and get experience starting IVs. Wanna know how many RNs were beating down our door asking to do this? Zero! We had more student doctors rounding with us than staff RNs. And this was after we did inservices on IV care at unit staff meetings and made personal invitations! Hospital staff nurses are technical nurses and as such need to hone their skills in a vast variety of procedures. IV skills are just one one of them. If todays RNs don't want to do it, there's plenty of LPNs ready to step up and take the reins of opportunity to do your job--and probably do a better job of it without all the whining.

[Balder_LPN, LPN]

Wow, Firing The Employee Is Still More Unproductive. Most Hospitals Have Nurse Education. They Could Put Her In Another Iv Class Just To Decrease Her Fear And Brush Up On Her Skills. It Doesn't Sound Like A Case Of Not Being Able To Do The Job.

The OP doesnt clarify, but since the nurse in question had an "aversion" then perhaps she wasnt interested (ie refused) in getting further training.

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

Well, again speaking of personal experience here...I use to do IV's like a seasoned pro when I first did them...I learned from Paramedics and was very good at it. My first job had IV teams and I could do a few...but that was the decline of my skill right there...you don't practice you can loose some of it...

Then I had a job at an LTC/ALF where I never did an IV. Four years of no iv's! Okay...I sooooooo lost my skill!

Now I am agency for a hospital that has a IV team for only hard sticks! Nurses have to do their own, or at least try twice, get another nurse to try twice before contacting IV team. Uhggggggg...I have done now 10 tries (that is 20 total) and not ONE has stuck! I feel so bad!

However, I never give up...I keep on trying. But if it was any condolance to me...LOL...IV team did have to be called on each one of them. I told my charge nurse jokingly...'don't you dare give me any patients without hoses for veins so I can finally get one sucess and move on to being great again! LOL!!!!!".

But having to have someone come in after I failed hurts me! Not because I couldn't do it per say, but the fact I had to take away a nurse from their patient load to help me do something I should be able to do! Teamwork has its limits...and I am hoping my next one will be sucessful so I can get this curse out of the way! LOL!

[Retired R.N.]

I've been in hospital supervision and nursing management in several different facilities where there were and weren't IV teams and I know IV therapy was a subject that was given to RNs during orientations because they needed to know the hospital policies connected with them. I worked on IV Teams for 6 years and not one of them EVER discouraged any staff nurse from starting or learning to start their own IVs if they so desired. In fact, we offered staff nurses the opportunity to make rounds with our IV teams and get experience starting IVs. Wanna know how many RNs were beating down our door asking to do this? Zero! We had more student doctors rounding with us than staff RNs. And this was after we did inservices on IV care at unit staff meetings and made personal invitations! Hospital staff nurses are technical nurses and as such need to hone their skills in a vast variety of procedures. IV skills are just one one of them. If todays RNs don't want to do it, there's plenty of LPNs ready to step up and take the reins of opportunity to do your job--and probably do a better job of it without all the whining.

Daytonite,

Just exactly what do you mean when you say that hospital staff nurses are technical nurses and if they don't want to improve their skills to meet your standards, they can be replaced by LPNs - "without all the whining" ?