5 year IV nurse, first impossible patient. Anxiety!!

[Mihlfy]

I have been an IV nurse for 5 years now. I like to think I'm pretty good at it. (Promise I'm not trying to brag). I've always been able to get patients that no one else could. I've never had to turn a patient away. Never. In 5 years. Finally had one last week that I couldn't get to save my life! She said she could be a hard stick sometimes. I had to get another nurse to take care of her a couple days later. I know what went wrong with one of the sticks. But just can't for the life of me explain what went wrong with the others. I cannot get over it. Yes, my ego is hurt. But more so, I hate that I wasn't able to help this patient and also caused her more stress and discomfort. Anyone else out there go through this?

[IVRUS, BSN, RN]

Ah... Yeah. And yet, at the end of the day, all you can do is be thankful for those you do get. We all have those days. And lastly, our patients are coming into various places much sicker, more dehydration..etc.

[Mihlfy]

Ok things are better today with the same patient. Another nurse said her veins would spasm horribly every time he stuck her. And today I got her first stick, anticipating a spasm. So mostly I just needed to vent! (I tend to have a problem letting things go....)

Thanks!