How long until you were comfortable starting an IV?

DEmedic said:
And the smallest thing can ruin your confidence. We recently switched catheters at my service and I am having little success with them. :/
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The shanks will get you every time. I went through maybe three months last year where I don't think I successfully started a line. No change in equipment or anything, I just missed a couple in a row and developed a complex about it.
 
DEmedic said:
And the smallest thing can ruin your confidence. We recently switched catheters at my service and I am having little success with them. :/
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Ugh, this I struggled with in school. Hospitals had some awesome ones, the truck had the ones I have hated the most. So glad work doesn't stock them.
 
We went to a style that does not seem to want to advance at all. I get a good flash and then I just can't advance the catheter off the needle. I blew two that way yesterday. I guess it's just going to be a matter of practice.
 
It took me probably 30 iv starts before I had the basic technique down pat, and close to a year before I felt really confident. Like others, there are times when I feel like I can't miss and also times when I miss a bunch in a row. Interesting how your level of confidence can make a difference.
 
DEmedic said:
We went to a style that does not seem to want to advance at all. I get a good flash and then I just can't advance the catheter off the needle. I blew two that way yesterday. I guess it's just going to be a matter of practice.
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DE, can you post a pic of the catheters next shift on?

We switched brands for about a month, and apparently the majority of our crews were having issues and getting blood specs being spewed about with the needle retraction. I'm curious if it's the same brand.

They resolved the issue, and went back to the old angiocaths.
 
Sure. I'm not in again til Wednesday night. These have a little clip in the hub that slides out and covers the needle when it's removed. It's not like the push button/spring loaded or slide lock caths I'm used to. And I was already told, "Nope. This is what we're using now. Not switching."
 
What seems to derail me is missing a "gimme" line. One of those nice, fat, well anchored, Hellen Keller could put a 10g in this vein 14 shots of jaeger deep iv's. Everybody misses occasionally, but when I whiff the 50mph fastball, my confidence in my skills evaporates like rubbing alcohol.
 
DEmedic said:
Sure. I'm not in again til Wednesday night. These have a little clip in the hub that slides out and covers the needle when it's removed. It's not like the push button/spring loaded or slide lock caths I'm used to. And I was already told, "Nope. This is what we're using now. Not switching."
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If they're the ones I'm thinking they are, they are absolutely awful, IMO/E...were popular years ago with the clip board warriors when needle sticks became potentially lethal events and this was a feeble attempt at making the needle safer. Can't believe they're still around. VERY gritty feel as you slide the catheter off of the needle. It feels like the metal is shearing on the catheter. Awful, like I said.

You need to advance the needle/catheter unit into the vessel several mm's further than other brands before advancing the catheter.
Good luck with those...
 
DEmedic said:
Sure. I'm not in again til Wednesday night. These have a little clip in the hub that slides out and covers the needle when it's removed. It's not like the push button/spring loaded or slide lock caths I'm used to. And I was already told, "Nope. This is what we're using now. Not switching."
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If they are made my Braun, those are my favorite!

Which just goes to show how the smallest things can make a difference. I'm ok with the spring loaded ones, the Jellco ones that retract all the way back into the barrel on the other hand, just awful.
 
Tigger said:
If they are made my Braun, those are my favorite!

Which just goes to show how the smallest things can make a difference. I'm ok with the spring loaded ones, the Jellco ones that retract all the way back into the barrel on the other hand, just awful.
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Those are the ones I was talking about, couldn't remember the name. Words cannot describe the level of hatred I have for those.
 
Sounds like the "Braun Introcan" IVs. They are the type that come in PICC and Central line kits as finder needles. They are great for US assisted IVs.

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Chase said:
Sounds like the "Braun Introcan" IVs. They are the type that come in PICC and Central line kits as finder needles. They are great for US assisted IVs.

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These are the ones we use too, they work great for us.
 
I will add, I still take pride in my IV start etiquette and skills. By no means will I turn patients into the proverbial "pin cushion", but my SoCal cohorts can probably attest to a certain rather large department that notoriously abides by a "one and done" attempt technique regardless of the criticality of the patient.
 
Right. And I love the Jelcos that slide back and l
Chase said:
Sounds like the "Braun Introcan" IVs. They are the type that come in PICC and Central line kits as finder needles. They are great for US assisted IVs.

maxresdefault.jpg
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Those the the ones. Big on the suck factor. I can't get em to advance worth a lick!
 
We use the jelco that cover the needle as you advance the Cath. Love those. Hate most auto carbs.
 
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So the IV catheters we had briefly switched to are pictured here on the left, our original (and ones we almost instantaneously put back in service) are on the right.

I found a bizarro catheter lying around our station and felt compelled to share.
 
Chase said:
Sounds like the "Braun Introcan" IVs. They are the type that come in PICC and Central line kits as finder needles. They are great for US assisted IVs.

maxresdefault.jpg
Click to expand...

I love these things. So easy to use. I can't stand the ones at my new job. I'm finally figuring them out but I still strongly dislike them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
We briefly switched to the Jelco ones at my AMR place and successes rate plummeted while accidental needle sticks when up...
 
IOs....they all get the EZIO....if they are sick enough to need an IV, then they are sick enough to get IO. Have not missed a bone yet!
 
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