IV help

[alright35]

ok, so i searched and found nothing (but i never have luck with searches)

so i am just a few weeks into my journey to become a medic. i am IV certified through class but have been having a lot of issues sticking people. doesn't mater age, race or sex, i am just awful at the moment. basically was just wondering if anyone had any good resources or tips for a newbie. for some reason i just can't get it and its getting on my nerves. thanks a bunch

 

[emt1972]

I don't know of any resources or tips... just practice! Does your medic class have a practice manequin arm? If so, go to class early and stay late when possible and practice.



Good Luck!!! You'll get better

 

[alright35]

we do have arms, but the veins are so visible and i feel like i can get them with my eyes closed, unfortunately that's not the case with most patients i have encountered, another issue i run into is if i miss the first time the pt. automatically wants someone else to do it, how do i get around that

 

[DV_EMT]

try by feeling the difference in veins vs muscle... practice with your eyes closed.

watch out for rolling veins. ask nursing staff about the technique for holding the rolling veins steady.

and talk to phlebotimists.... they're your friend and can give good tips.

 

[MSDeltaFlt]

ok, so i searched and found nothing (but i never have luck with searches)

so i am just a few weeks into my journey to become a medic. i am IV certified through class but have been having a lot of issues sticking people. doesn't mater age, race or sex, i am just awful at the moment. basically was just wondering if anyone had any good resources or tips for a newbie. for some reason i just can't get it and its getting on my nerves. thanks a bunch

You're using your eyes too much. Don't trust them so easily. The sense of touch is very powerful. Learn to use it and to trust it.

Every pt you come into to contact with you should assess veins. How do you do that? Just gently start feeling both arms for their veins without a tourniquet. Simply feel for size, depth, texture, and quality. Make it second nature.

If you can't feel it, don't stick it.

 

[MrBrown]

What size catheter are you using, where are you trying to stick the patient?

How many patent IVs did you have to do before being allowed to be "certified" ?

Honestly the easiest way to learn IVs is to do them, lots and lots of them.

 

[zmedic]

Try to get some sticks on "easy" people, it will help the confidence. The problem is you go do your sticks in the ED and they throw you in there on the 80 year olds with no veins. Try to find some dehydrated 20 year old who just needs a liter of fluid, they should have some pipes.

The biggest tip is what matters is where the tip of the needle ends up, not where it starts. So make sure you are inserting a cm or so away from where you want the tip to end up (ie where you see the vein). A lot of people just stick in where the vein is and they go through it. Also don't forget about dropping the angle and advancing another mm before sliding the catheder in.

 

[Dominion]

I was in the same boat and I actually took the whole being thrown to 80 year olds with no veins as a good thing in the end. At first I wouldn't stick bad arms, but now I'm all over it. I generally in the ER follow field protocols which is 2 sticks each arm. If the patient takes the IV well I have no issues. If I feel they are going to complain I'll stick just twice.

I always introduce myself as a student and ask them permission to stick them. Learn by feel first if you can. If it helps pop the tip off your glove over your finger. You have to be VERY careful like this as it exposes you. Many people don't remcommend it and I'm on the fence. If I can't feel through gloves I usually take the gloves off till I find what I'm looking for then put the glove back on.

When I'm getting the arm ready I grab an alcohol pad or whatever I use and scrub the arm. then I find my vein with gloves on, once I find it I do another wipe with the alcohol starting just before my planned insertion point and following the path of the vein. It helps when you still haven't gotten the hang of pure palpation.

Try practicing on the dummy arm with the lights off.

 

[alphatrauma]

If it helps pop the tip off your glove over your finger.

I would not recommend/get in the habit of doing this. JCAHO is always watching and so are nurse managers.

 

[reaper]

Yes, not a good practice. Years ago gloves were very thick and this was common practice. Today, most gloves are very thin and do not hamper feeling the vien.

Practice, practice, practice! Become an IV hore and try to get as many as you can.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Fixed that for ya.

Practice, practice, practice! Become an IV "Tiger Woods" and try to get as many as you can.

 

[reaper]

That's just wrong!

 

[Dominion]

Yes, not a good practice. Years ago gloves were very thick and this was common practice. Today, most gloves are very thin and do not hamper feeling the vien.

Practice, practice, practice! Become an IV hore and try to get as many as you can.

I do agree. Popping a finger is a very last resort to feel a vein and I try to do it on a finger that will not be in the most 'direct' contact with the equipment. In general I do not need to do this, however I am very sensitive to latex and my clinical site offers latex and vinyl. When using vinyl I might as well be starting an IV with a topical numbing cream, two pairs of cotton gloves and mittens. I learned my lesson popping fingers and getting exposed to blood.

I'm not going to lie and say I have developed that bad habit (another is getting glucose from IV stick). Trying to break it though

 

[MasterIntubator]

http://emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=12671