STARTING IVs............OMG..............

xokelly2 · Jul 9, 2005

In my program there were people who failed the clinical portion for not staying within the boundaries of thier student scope of practice.

I don't know if I would recommend taking the 'initiative' in just any situation without making sure I was in the clear to do so. Granted lab and return demonstration do little in helping us understand the "real world".

Nothing bad happened to you but someone else might not be so lucky.....

dnurse · Jul 9, 2005

I learned in school, first as an LPN then when I went back for my RN. I now work in ER and start A LOT of IV's every night! There's nothing like experience (and even then, I still can't get some of them and then go get my charge nurse!!!).

dmb219 · Jul 9, 2005

I learned in school, first as an LPN then when I went back for my RN. I now work in ER and start A LOT of IV's every night! There's nothing like experience (and even then, I still can't get some of them and then go get my charge nurse!!!).

My program was very thorough in all aspects of nursing, but looking back, IV training was overlooked. We practiced on the dummy one day, and on each other if you had a consenting partner, but that was it. I learned on the job - I work in a large nursing home and we do a lot of IV therapy. My first start was on 11-7 - just me and Clyde. I told him it was the first time I had to do this, but I got it 1st time and we were both happy! I learned on the job - experience is the real teacher with IV starts - you can't learn it in a day or two. Why anyone would belittle anyone because of their lack of experience is beyond me, but I know it happens. There is nothing like experience to make you better at anything, including starting an IV. I've not missed in a few years now, but I learned on the job, which is ok I think. Same with lab draws - never learned that in school - on the job training.

sandiixx · Jul 9, 2005

My friend from nursing school recently started her first RN job, and she had a bad third day where all the new grads were testing out on skills. The first skill of the day was starting an IV, all the other girls (ABOUT 30 OF THEM) had all had experience starting IVs from their school. My friend was the only one there who had no experience with it what so ever. They made a spectacle of her like "What school are you from? I can't believe you have never done that before." She was almost in tears. We had never even learned how to tie a turniquet!!!!!!! I must have heard about 8 times during nursing school from various instructors that we will learn from our facility where we work on how to start IVs!!! Did our school lie to us? My friend is very upset and we are feeling inferior to other newcommers. What kind of IV experience do you guys have from school?????

Hey are you guys talking about actually placing an IV in the vein? I am from Australia and Jeepers the most we learnt was to take blood and we are only allowed to learn the IV insertion from our hospital if we work in emergency or ICU!! That sucks big time!! They want the doctors to do it on the wards. Darn, I am supposed to be coming to work there and have never been taught how to insert an IV!! Will the facility i am contracted to, teach me do you think?

daniellern · Jul 9, 2005

My friend from nursing school recently started her first RN job, and she had a bad third day where all the new grads were testing out on skills. The first skill of the day was starting an IV, all the other girls (ABOUT 30 OF THEM) had all had experience starting IVs from their school. My friend was the only one there who had no experience with it what so ever. They made a spectacle of her like "What school are you from? I can't believe you have never done that before." She was almost in tears. We had never even learned how to tie a turniquet!!!!!!! I must have heard about 8 times during nursing school from various instructors that we will learn from our facility where we work on how to start IVs!!! Did our school lie to us? My friend is very upset and we are feeling inferior to other newcommers. What kind of IV experience do you guys have from school?????

Tell your friend not to feel so bad ... starting IV's and being really good at it can only come with experience. I am an RN and did not learn how to start IV's when I was in nursing school. They gave us a quick look at an angio, told us bevel up and that was the extent of it. I learned at the hospital where I started working at. Luckily, the hospital I worked at did not have an IV team, so I was able to (and had to) learn right away. I now work at an Endoscopy Center where we start 30 IV's a day ... atleast. It is a skill and the more you do, the better you get. So, tell your friend and yourself, just be patient and not to listen to others ... you will get there one day .. Anyone that talks down to you, is only insecure with themselves. Just remember that. Good luck to you both !!

firemedic · Jul 10, 2005

I have a bit of an advantage being a paramedic first and starting nursing school now, but I can tell you don't fret the small stuff. Whereever you work will either show you or you can watch and learn. I hate to be cruel but remember this, It is almost impossible to kill someone starting an IV. The other thing is it will not hurt you in the least. Find someone out of the limelight that is willing to show you and practice practice practice. The more you do the better you are. Look it up and you will find the technique written out but untill you get used to doing it you will not be proficient. It is not that hard just smile and tell those people that you do not feel comfortable with that skill as I am sure they do not either but are too ignorant to admit. Good luck

Fire medic

luv2yoga · Jul 11, 2005

I am worried about this skill too, and you know what, there are weekend intensive courses at most large cities. Look up phlebotomy courses on google and you'll see. One is offered in December here, right when I finish my first semester of NS, so I will probably go ahead and do it. It's $350. I figure that's cheap to set my mind at ease about this. It's the skill I'm most worried about as I faint when they take blood on me (I know, it's different when it's not you...but I'm still pretty anxious....a little extra prep won't hurt!)

Meredith

luv2yoga · Jul 11, 2005

I realized after I just posted above that drawing blood and starting an IV are different...I guess I just don't know how different. Maybe some of you more experienced folks who've actually done these things can clue me in. The weekend course I mentioned said that it covers all kinds of specialty skills, like peds and butterfly and some other things. But I think it's just draws. Would that be nothing compared to IV starts?

MGM33 · Jul 12, 2005

My friend from nursing school recently started her first RN job, and she had a bad third day where all the new grads were testing out on skills. The first skill of the day was starting an IV, all the other girls (ABOUT 30 OF THEM) had all had experience starting IVs from their school. My friend was the only one there who had no experience with it what so ever. They made a spectacle of her like "What school are you from? I can't believe you have never done that before." She was almost in tears. We had never even learned how to tie a turniquet!!!!!!! I must have heard about 8 times during nursing school from various instructors that we will learn from our facility where we work on how to start IVs!!! Did our school lie to us? My friend is very upset and we are feeling inferior to other newcommers. What kind of IV experience do you guys have from school?????

My school only taught us the basics of iv starts ie. fake arms. Their view was that is was inhumane to practice IV's, Injections, NG tubes etc. on each other. I learned on the job with the wonderful help of practiced nurse's . They not only thaught me how to start them, the tricks of finding veins but how to deal with tape and gloves!! My first experience nearly sent me into a panic. Not the sticking but the taping. There is no shame in learning on the job things live IV's. It the real world not a class room is where the real learning begins.

psalm, RN · Jul 13, 2005

...our school had antiquated arms and tubing and we had to reuse needles for practice on the dummies. Then we practiced on each other. This was 3rd semester. However, my 4th and final semester, I did NO IV starts , so I was not prepared on my first job. Some weeks I do none, some weeks there's a few a night, but you will get your groove. BTW, I've been a nurse for 3 years and have yet to insert an NG tube. I attempted once, but the pt. was bigger than I am :) and wouldn't hold still.

DZcarrie · Jul 14, 2005

My friend from nursing school recently started her first RN job, and she had a bad third day where all the new grads were testing out on skills. The first skill of the day was starting an IV, all the other girls (ABOUT 30 OF THEM) had all had experience starting IVs from their school. My friend was the only one there who had no experience with it what so ever. They made a spectacle of her like "What school are you from? I can't believe you have never done that before." She was almost in tears. We had never even learned how to tie a turniquet!!!!!!! I must have heard about 8 times during nursing school from various instructors that we will learn from our facility where we work on how to start IVs!!! Did our school lie to us? My friend is very upset and we are feeling inferior to other newcommers. What kind of IV experience do you guys have from school?????

i don't think we learn how to stick people either. Tell your friend that she is an RN just like all of the other new people and she doesn't deserve to be talked down to by people ON HER SAME LEVEL! people can be so dang rude, i can't believe it!

We are told that we will learn how to stick people if we are working in areas such as the ER or ICU where the IV team doesn't poke them.....

Anjo · Jul 20, 2005

I learned IVs in my LVN program in Texas in 1976. Anjo