Started my first IV today

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Specializes in school nursing.

Just wanted to share - in my med surg clinical today I finally started my first successful IV on a pt today - followed by the second successful attempt on a second pt 30 min later! This was after 2 failed attempts over the last 2 weeks in clinical where the site infiltrated or the vein blew. I feel so much better that I can actually place an IV. It made me so happy that I can actually do this - my youngest IV pt was 90 years old, and the oldest 93.

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Congrats! It's a great feeling--I did my first about a month ago and I'm still grinning about it! Such a rite of passage for nurses. (Have to say, though, that the reaction from my family was "Ewwww!") :uhoh3:

Keep up the great work!

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Just wanted to share - in my med surg clinical today I finally started my first successful IV on a pt today - followed by the second successful attempt on a second pt 30 min later! This was after 2 failed attempts over the last 2 weeks in clinical where the site infiltrated or the vein blew. I feel so much better that I can actually place an IV. It made me so happy that I can actually do this - my youngest IV pt was 90 years old, and the oldest 93.

Hey, Im going to start nursing school this sept. and I just wondering when do you start giving IV's while in nursing school? Is that the scariest part do you think of clinicals?

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Specializes in school nursing.
Hey, Im going to start nursing school this sept. and I just wondering when do you start giving IV's while in nursing school? Is that the scariest part do you think of clinicals?

In my RN program we were trained to do IV's the last semester of our senior year. We learned in the lab on the manaquines - did not prepare me for the issues of real life IV pacement on live pts in any way other than handling the equipment. Yes - it was very scary - I was sweating - and I do not normally perspire. One I had the first successful insertion I felt - "Let's do it again!" - It was so exciting - my preceptor immediatly found me another opportunity. Two sticks - two placements - I feel so much more confident now. No more losing sleep wondering if I can ever really get it done and meet my teachers clinical expectation of a successful IV.

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Congrats! I'm the same way, last week i had to successful sticks for the 1st time after two attempts in the past.

We started in 2nd semester practicing (which was sticking a manequin) then we had to do one IV start on eachother. We could start sticking 2nd semester (im now it 3rd) but i didnt have any opportunities then, but i'm like you royr, i want to do it again!:monkeydance:

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Specializes in Float.

We could start in our 2nd semester in L&D. None of my patients needed one, already had one when I got em. In our 3rd/4th semesters we took turns being the IV nurse for the day and I only ever got one try. Pt was very sick and it took us 20 min to find a decent vein to try, it blew, and we turned him over to the RN because of the lack of veins to try.

That was my one and only stick in nursing school. We have one more clinical in which I will not be the IV nurse for the day so my chances in school are over. I graduate and will be going to the ICU with no successful sticks ever ... I guess it will be OJT for me. I have observed a gazillion IV sticks in my job as a nurse intern - so at least I've seen lots of various and good techniques. Hopefully when I actually get the CHANCE myself I can get proficient in this skill. I guess at work I'll just have to offer to try everyone' IV starts so I can get lots of practice! :)

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We just started doing IVs and I'm in quarter 3/6. No successful sticks here yet (haven't had the opportunity in clinicals yet) but I'm looking forward to it!

Congratulations royr!

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royr, if you can start an IV on a 90 and 93yo, you are laughing! Starting one on a (relatively) healthy 45 or 60yo will be like driving a truck through a tunnel....congrats.

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Specializes in Emergency.

I'm feeling kind of cheated.. I'm in semester 2 of 4 and found out the other day we do not learn to start IV's in my program.. I was told you need to take a separate course for certification, at the hospital where you end up working.. I just figured it was like this everywhere.. but I guess not. We did everything else in the first semester but were told we don't learn to start the IV's.. is this just my school?

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I don't think we get to start IV's either, got the same info about being validated at the hospital you end up working at...bah

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Our school doesn't teach us either. I had to wait until consolidation and ask one of the floor nurses to teach me. Don't worry though, it'll come. To be honest, despite all the hype, it really is just another skill. Once you learn how to do it you'll wonder what the big deal was all about. Talking someone through a painful procedure or holding a patients hand until death is a much more difficult skill to learn and one that isn't taught in school either...but nobody looks forward to those. Interesting isn't it?

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Just starting IV's too!

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