Who wears gloves when starting an IV?

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  1. When starting an IV do you.........

    • 78
      Always wear gloves, even children & very elderly pts
    • 13
      Wear gloves depending on what the pt looks like
    • 7
      Never wear gloves

79 members have participated

Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

I've been a nurse for 29 years and have a really hard time starting IV's with gloves on since I learned to do it without gloves and have been doing it for years without gloves. I try my best to wear gloves everytime but sometimes I will cut the top the finger off of the glove on my left index finger so I can still feel and then pull it up over my finger once I get a flashback. Sometimes I have an IV in before I realize that I didn't put gloves on. Old habits die hard. I was wondering if some of you older nurses have this same issue or if you younger nurses have trouble starting IV's with gloves on or are you just used to it since that's the way you learned?

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I always put gloves on, but I wait until the last possible minute.....I do all the prep work, locate a suitable vein, and clean the site before donning gloves. We have these nitrile gloves which are nice and thick---great protection, but I can't feel a thing with them on. A lot of times I have to cut off the tip of the index finger.......I know it's risky, but if it's a choice between getting the IV in on the first try and having to stick the pt. twice or more because I can't palpate a vein, I'll cut that tip off every time.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
I always put gloves on, but I wait until the last possible minute.....I do all the prep work, locate a suitable vein, and clean the site before donning gloves.

Me too.

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Specializes in Med-surg; OB/Well baby; pulmonology; RTS.

I will locate my vein and disinfect the area and then put my gloves on too. I always put on small gloves-they are tight, but most of the time I can still feel my vein if I need too.

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Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
I will locate my vein and disinfect the area and then put my gloves on too. I always put on small gloves-they are tight, but most of the time I can still feel my vein if I need too.

Yep ! Me too. Small gloves work WELL for that ! :D

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Small gloves are great for being able to feel everything easier. I have been a nurse for eleven years and have always worn gloves, but I work with a fellow nurse who has been a nurse bit longer and has a hard time with remembering the gloves. We see a high rate of patients with Hepatitis C, so it makes me more cautious. But I admit it would be easier not dealing with gloves at all, especially taping and removing tape :)

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I learned to start IV's in the '70's. And when, in the 80's we began to use Universal Precautions, I complained that I couldn't feel the vein and blah, blah, blah. A surgeon friend pointed out that if a surgeon can appreciate the facial nerve with gloves on, I could certainly feel a vein.

I began by wearing sterile gloves for the best fit. In no time at all, I was completely comfortable doing any and all procedures in gloves. Now, I can wear any old gloves, any old size.

I also said I could never start IV's without a Jelco, which is what I learned on. Needless to say, in these nearly 30 years, I have worked with and around a half dozen different brands and styles of angiocaths.

If it is a choice between getting it on the first stick and exposing yourself to blood borne virus, learn to get it on the first stick with gloves. It is not a question of either/or. Really, it isn't.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

I always wear gloves. I choose the vein, glove, swab with Dura-Prep, and stick. No problemmo. :p

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Specializes in Inpatient Acute Rehab.

I ALWAYS wear gloves. All it takes is one drop of blood to ruin your life!!

A retired too young nurse friend of mine is now dying from Hep B because she felt the person was too old to have a communicable disease. Like I said, one drop is all it takes.

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Specializes in Hospital, med-surg, hospice.

You better believe I wear gloves when starting IV's where I work!

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I do as most of you do .. . prep w/o gloves and then glove up. I did tear the end off my fingertip the other day in the CT scanner though . . .not alot of light in there, hard to see the vein and I had to go by feel .. .

steph

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I also prep without gloves but ALWAYS put them on before I stick.

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