Starting IVs Next Week, any Tips?

[ArcticKat]

Any more tips on site choice and advancing the catheters?

I'd love to help you out with more sage words of advice, but you'd never believe me.

Keep up the good work.

 

[jjesusfreak01]

I think my problems haven't been site choice actually, i'm just having problems now with hitting hand veins. I haven't missed an AC or cephalic, or really anything above the hand. I think I have at least a workable technique for advancing the needles and catheters successfully. I think I might not be stabilizing the vein well before poking, letting it slip out of the way as the needle advances. I know i'll figure it out, I just don't want to look like a doaf when i'm trying to do blood draws during clinicals.

 

[Mohrenberg]

Would love for this thread to keep going, I've enjoyed the tips given thus far! I'm having most trouble with getting those slippery veins to stay still! I must have tried 10 times on my sister over the last month or so before I finally got a good stick on her. I can't believe she still let's me try....she must be EMO haha

I'm also having trouble with getting a flash, but the catheter only threads about 1/4 of the way off the needle before stopping.

 

[jjesusfreak01]

I'm also having trouble with getting a flash, but the catheter only threads about 1/4 of the way off the needle before stopping.

You're probably not advancing the needle far enough before threading in the catheter. Remember the catheter doesn't extend to the tip of the needle, and you can get flashback as soon as you poke the vein, so you are likely hitting the vein and then pushing yourself off the vein when you try to push the catheter in (ie, the catheter isn't going into the vein, its hitting the outside of it). When you get flashback continue moving the catheter in but drop your angle to near parallel so you don't poke through and blow the vein.