5 replies to this topic

[Evana]

Thank you for your reply to my first listing. I hope you won't mind if I ask you another question. I have been haing difficulties starting IV, or drawing blood. Is there a trick? After you insert needle and see blood, do you first withdraw needle and then push the catheter next? Or do you insert needle further and withdraw it later? Can yoy please explain me in steps what is usually most successful for you? Also after I see blood, the veins often blow, or move and I loose it? What's your advice? Also, it's hard for me to feel, I need to see the vein to try it. How to get better at it?
Thank you very much

[NawlinsGirl]

hi Evana.

I dont think there are any tricks to starting ivs or drawing blood. Practice is the key for becoming better at those task. I personally, advance the needle until I get a blood return then i advance the catheter slowly and after the catheter is in place I withdraw the needle. As far as blowing the vein, there could be many reasons ie; you went through the vein, or in the elderly patients the tournquiet may be too tight. I dont use tourniquets on elderly patients. One more thing I would like to add, it really helps to know your anatomy because there are times when you wont be able to visually see the vein but if you know where they are your chances of getting an iv in increases tremendously.. and feel free to ask any questions thats how we learn........so ask away, we are all willing to help in any way.......

NAWLINSGIRL

[HeatherG]

Starting IV's and venipunctures is a procedure that takes time to gain experience. The more times you do it the better you will get. Some patients are easy sticks and some aren't. Some days I got every one I tried and some days I used to say I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. I can tell you that I had to be in the right frame of mind before I could get them. If I was tense or rushed, chances are I wouldn't get it. Take your time and find the vein that is the best candidate for entry.

Don't feel too badly if you can't get them all. No one ever does. I am a prime example and a difficult stick, an Inflammatory Breast Cancer survivor. One time I had to go to three different labs before someone finally got my bloodwork. Another time I had to have a cardiac stress test and the lab in the city where I lived tried for about 2 hours to start an IV (I gave up counting after 25 attempts), gave up and sent me to another city to have it done. The fellow at the next city got me on the first attempt. No one has ever gotten an antecubital on me. Now I don't even let them try antecubitals. I only let them use a small butterfly in this one very precious vein in my hand. If they don't follow my advice, they don't get to do it. Lesson here.......listen to your experienced patients, they can tell you where their good veins are.

BTW Evana, look up Inflammatory Breast Cancer on the net and you will learn about a type of breast cancer that most nurses and many doctors know nothing about. You don't have to have a lump to have breast cancer.

I have a feeling that you are going to make an excellent nurse. Wishing you all the best in this great career.

[ladybugj]

at our hospital we have iv nurses who are more than willing to have us tag along and teach us. we all have our good and bad days, like the others said, it takes lots of time and patience. give it a try or 2 yourself first, then ask someone else to try. also, see if your employer offers iv classes where they teach techniques and anatomy. good luck!

[aussie-margaret]

Doctor's do cannulation where I work, except in accident and emergency where you have to do a day in the operating theatres and do 10 cannulations to be accredited.

I have yet to do this.

I have done venepucture for 12 years when working in a dr's surgery.

my tips are:

*look both arms first - often better veins on the other arm

*ask patient have they had trouble with blood collection - patients often will not tell the collector that one arm is good / bad or whatever.
ask do they have a better arm to use.

*tell the patient you will not try unless you are confident of a good vein - this reassures them and helps the pt to feel better and the veins be better

*tell the pt if you do have trouble you will only have a max of 2 attempts with their permission - reassures them you will not keep jabbing them.

***** use a scalp vein needle - less pain, much higher success rate. I only use this. I use a blue scalp vein needle (sorry, can't think of what gauge this is)

[mattsmom]

Iv catheters are all a little different, adding to our difficulties! I was an expert with Jelcos, now I am a novice again with Insytes. The bevel is different than what I am used to, thus I tend to go through the vein. I have to practice to get the 'feel' of these. We are all constantly given something new to learn!.