Not sure where to post this but I saw something today in clinical that was just eating me up. My school has an agreement with a few clinical sites to allow students to return to clinical early, and I saw something today that made me very uncomfortable. A nurse allowed myself and another student to go into her (sedated) patient's room, and offered to let us start an IV. IV insertion is strictly prohibited and the clinical coordinator specifically told us not to even attempt it, as it can result in "major consequences". I told this to the nurse, but my classmate decided to try to insert the IV anyway. The classmate poked the patient 1, then 2, then 3.... until the nurse finally stopped her, at 7 attempts. 7 insertions, including one on a different site which was not cleaned.
The school's clinical coordinator showed up on site about 30 minutes after the event, and she asked me if we had gotten to do any IVs. I had the feeling that she knew about it, and I told her about my classmates IV attempts. It turns out that she had no idea about the event, she just happened to show up and ask. She was angry at me for reporting it and told me not to tell anyone about it, or there would be consequences. The student and I are paired to go into the ED this week, and she was going on about how she hopes that we'll have more tries at starting IVs and that she'll make sure I can do it next.
I have no idea what to do. I feel that if I report it further, the clinical coordinator will do something to take it out on me. I can't stop thinking about how that patient was sedated and didn't have any idea a student was involved in their care, the potential pain, or the risk of infection from all of those repeated insertions, including a site that wasn't cleaned at all.
I am just flummoxed that schools of nursing and educational programs like the OP's exist. What hospital would grant clinical opportunities to a school that has one instructor to cover all the clinical rotations going on at that moment? Where are the written guidelines for students to follow? Like anything goes and is considered okay for clinical?
I am just flummoxed that schools of nursing and educational programs like the OP's exist. What hospital would grant clinical opportunities to a school that has one instructor to cover all the clinical rotations going on at that moment? Where are the written guidelines for students to follow? Like anything goes and is considered okay for clinical?
You know any of us who have taught are shaking our heads and cringing
I am just flummoxed that schools of nursing and educational programs like the OP's exist. What hospital would grant clinical opportunities to a school that has one instructor to cover all the clinical rotations going on at that moment? Where are the written guidelines for students to follow? Like anything goes and is considered okay for clinical?
I told you this was happening on other posts and you wouldn't believe me. You just thought I was some malcontent that didn’t want to teach students (totally not true) making stuff up. Do you believe me now?
How else are you supposed to learn if you don’t actually do it? Yes, I think 7 tries is excessive and the nurse should have stepped in after a few misses but I think it’s stupid that your school or instructor doesn’t want students to practice. I know a BSN trained nurse who told me she never learned how to insert an IV during the entirety of her program because the school said “you’ll never have to do it anyway so we won’t teach you “.
Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
Just now, Crystal-Wings said:
How else are you supposed to learn if you don’t actually do it? Yes, I think 7 tries is excessive and the nurse should have stepped in after a few misses but I think it’s stupid that your school or instructor doesn’t want students to practice. I know a BSN trained nurse who told me she never learned how to insert an IV during the entirety of her program because the school said “you’ll never have to do it anyway so we won’t teach you “.
That's crazy that they thought she'd never have to place an IV. In fairness I will say the "top-ranked" BSN program I graduated from in 2006 taught IV skills but we weren't allowed to actually attempt them on any patients during clinicals as it was against the rules and related to liability; despite that, I am (humbly) one of the best IV nurses who is often called to other units I don't even work on to help place IVs on difficult patients.
All of that not to brag but to say that I don't think you have to learn that skill in school in order to be a successful nurse - whether you are taught it in school or not, it all comes down to practicing over and over again and that just comes with time.
That's crazy that they thought she'd never have to place an IV. In fairness I will say the "top-ranked" BSN program I graduated from in 2006 taught IV skills but we weren't allowed to actually attempt them on any patients during clinicals as it was against the rules and related to liability; despite that, I am (humbly) one of the best IV nurses who is often called to other units I don't even work on to help place IVs on difficult patients.
All of that not to brag but to say that I don't think you have to learn that skill in school in order to be a successful nurse - whether you are taught it in school or not, it all comes down to practicing over and over again and that just comes with time.
Yeah I’m not sure why they’d say that. I think every RN should learn how to do it. I even think it’s a skill an LPN should at least be familiar with.
Yeah I’m not sure why they’d say that. I think every RN should learn how to do it. I even think it’s a skill an LPN should at least be familiar with.
Are LPNs/LVNs still in acute settings? I haven't seen any in a long time. Before grad school, when I travelled, I did see an LPN on the IV team in one hospital in WA.
Are LPNs/LVNs still in acute settings? I haven't seen any in a long time. Before grad school, when I travelled, I did see an LPN on the IV team in one hospital in WA.
I have seen job postings for clinics and some home health positions that require the LPN/LVN to be IV certified. I got certified to do it years ago, but never had a job where I’d need to do it and quite frankly don’t want to. If I absolutely had to do it though, I’d know how but I’m sure it would take me several tries LOL.
I miss Ruby Vee, she's a wise woman, I always enjoyed her posts and the fact that she was always realistic and honest with posters.
MOM IM that's a new one for me
How about one of those red jelly Colace pills that an agency RN nurse attempted to 'gently' smash to push thru a GT tube!! Fortunately, the State surveyor stopped the nurse right at the point it would have been bolused during the supervised med pass.
Needless to say, we got 'dinged' with a deficiency.
londonflo
3,002 Posts
I am just flummoxed that schools of nursing and educational programs like the OP's exist. What hospital would grant clinical opportunities to a school that has one instructor to cover all the clinical rotations going on at that moment? Where are the written guidelines for students to follow? Like anything goes and is considered okay for clinical?