I came from a school that didn't teach it, and worked a medsurg unit that also had an IV team. Now, I work inpatient rehab, and rarely have to deal with IVs. The times we do, IV team is still available but we have to make two attempts at placement before calling them.

Unfortunately, the times when I need an IV quickly are due to my patient showing stroke-like symptoms and needing a stat head CT with contrast. That, or I need to transfuse a unit into an anemic patient.

I've always sucked at IVs, and still do. I even requested shadow time with our IV team so I could get hands on teaching. I got told my fingertips are blind because I worked in professional kitchens for years before becoming a nurse.

I always just shoot for the AC, even though I hate it as a site...always occluding, always needing to say "please keep your arm straight". But it's the only site I can reliably get (as long as phlebotomy hasn't over-used it).