well got certified to start sticking pt. in the ED, so i guess you could say i passed. i stuck the fake arm like a thousand times over the past two days and stuck my first real person today. def seems like it will require a lot more practice on my part...those fake arms suck for giving you the feel of a real person. anyway just felt like bragging a little...first major thing i have done since medic school started, only 2 months in
passed my IV test
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Shishkabob
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Congrats!
Just wait till your nurse tells you to start an IV on an attempted suicide pt with no veins after years of heroin use, scars all over, and actively vomiting. It's fun.
Just wait till your nurse tells you to start an IV on an attempted suicide pt with no veins after years of heroin use, scars all over, and actively vomiting. It's fun.
fishing?
yea, some of the already IV certified students were talking about all of the difficult people they have had to stick, i have my next rotation next week so we shall see. hey, do any of you guys make a normal routine of "fishing" for a vein, obviously our instructor said we can't but other students tell me that it's not the case in real life.
yea, some of the already IV certified students were talking about all of the difficult people they have had to stick, i have my next rotation next week so we shall see. hey, do any of you guys make a normal routine of "fishing" for a vein, obviously our instructor said we can't but other students tell me that it's not the case in real life.
Shishkabob
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Define "fishing for the vein"? Do you mean poking where you think there might be a vein, or poking where you know there is a vein and moving the cath around to get flash?
The former is bad, the latter is commonly practiced, good or bad. Sure, it's uncomfortable to have something moving around your arm, but if they get the flash, it sure as heck beats having another poke.
I've had times where I got the flash, pulled out the needle and had no blood flow. Pretty much have to jiggle the cath as you might be on a valve or it might be a positional site.
The former is bad, the latter is commonly practiced, good or bad. Sure, it's uncomfortable to have something moving around your arm, but if they get the flash, it sure as heck beats having another poke.
I've had times where I got the flash, pulled out the needle and had no blood flow. Pretty much have to jiggle the cath as you might be on a valve or it might be a positional site.
Shishkabob
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Sometimes you just go too shallow or too deep for a vein and need to adjust. Apologize to your pt and move on.
Do what I do, and tell yourself the temporary pain of an IV is offset by the good that the IV will do medical wise.
Do what I do, and tell yourself the temporary pain of an IV is offset by the good that the IV will do medical wise.
StreetPharmacist
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We had to do 10 sticks in class on each other not the fake arms, that was fun learning on each other to due sticks, cruel yes but effective teaches what its like to be the pt and feel what your doing to someone else and as far as fishing goes I wouldnt let anyone in class fish for my veins, I wouldnt let someone do it to me and Im not doing it to a patient it is unprofessional. What would you do if a peice of the cath broke off from fishing? Are you prepared to tell someone you caused a plastic embolism because you were to lazy to do your job?
HotelCo
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We didn't have to practice on any real people for class. I definitely wouldn't have my classmates practicing on me.
I still have a scar from when a classmate practiced on me. He missed and I HAVE ROPES. I mean, you could see them trough a long sleeve shirt.
Shishkabob
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Our class schedule was 4-on, 4-off, and the 4th day of every rotation was dedicated 100% to skills, all day, all practical.
That meant 2 hours of dedicated IV practice at the end of each "skills day".
Over that 6 months, our arms/hands/feet/ankles accrued many poke marks.
All seem to have disappeared, but try explaining at a blood donor clinic why you have 5 band-aids on hypodermic needle marks on each arm.
That meant 2 hours of dedicated IV practice at the end of each "skills day".
Over that 6 months, our arms/hands/feet/ankles accrued many poke marks.
All seem to have disappeared, but try explaining at a blood donor clinic why you have 5 band-aids on hypodermic needle marks on each arm.
"Hey, man, I just got out of rehab. Don't judge me!"
Griff
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Same here, they didn't let us practice on each other in the class.
Shishkabob
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We practiced on eachother, but only if you wanted someone to.
Not only did it make the learning experience better because nothing replaces the real thing, but it also opened your eyes to the type of pain you'll be putting your patients through.
Not only did it make the learning experience better because nothing replaces the real thing, but it also opened your eyes to the type of pain you'll be putting your patients through.
HotelCo
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There should be little to no pain if done correctly. Speaking as a person who has had plenty of IVs in their lifetime, it's all about technique. It doesn't have to be a painful experience for the patient. What I found that made it less painful when they did it to me was when they pushed through the skin fast, instead of going really slow.
edit: 900th post.
Shishkabob
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I don't care what you say, having a sharp piece of metal thrust through your skin isn't going to feel good 
Well.. unless you're a masochist.
Well.. unless you're a masochist.
HotelCo
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I don't care what you say, having a sharp piece of metal thrust through your skin isn't going to feel good
Well.. unless you're a masochist.
You're right, but it also doesn't need to be overly-painful due to poor technique.
rhan101277
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Missed all of my IV's at clinicals today. I had 3 patients, one was a diabetic and had tough skin, nurse took 2 tries. The other had big veins, the nurse thinks I hit a valve, it took her 2 tries. The other was a 84 y/o that was really dehydrated and even my instructor couldn't get it, he had to have a EJ done.
Anyhow I am a bit bummed about it, but I have had some successes, maybe today was just a bad day.
Anyhow I am a bit bummed about it, but I have had some successes, maybe today was just a bad day.
denverfiremedic
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your a paramedic student and your just now getting Iv cert? thats odd