Where to practice/review nursing skills

[PedsNurseLA]

I have been an RN for almost four years and feel I have lost some skills. I would like to travel but I would not want to go and feel like I cannot do basic skills. We rarely ever have peripheral IV placements or lab sticks since most patients have permanent/temporary central lines.

Basic skills like these I feel I am losing. I do not even think I have had to put in a foley since school as most patients come from the OR with one placed. Is there any type of nursing conference or skills lab for people who are already RNs for practice/review?

Has anyone done a peripheral IV certification type course? I want like a weekend or 2 days seminar type thing, not a full out phlebotomy course.

Southern California area hopefully.

[Sun0408, ASN, RN]

When we want to "refresh" we go to our director and have her arrange for us to go to the GI lab to do IV's. We can also go to the OR for foley cath placements etc.. Ask your director what the hospital can offer you as far as keeping up with your skills.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

i agree with the above poster. you need to refresh/practice on humans, not dummies (plastic objects). real people are complicated. for example, old men with huge prostates or large women with a very hard to find urinary access are not easy foley placements. plus little old ladies with splinters for veins... or large older men with no veins at all can be hard iv sticks. plastic objects, on the other hand, are easy.