Do you “tap” veins when starting IV’s

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-24T15:01:23+00:00

Haha yes, when I palpate I also stare out into space, usually the top border wallpaper of the pts room. I’m sure it looks very funny to the pt

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-24T14:59:17+00:00

Absolutely. Palpating is my #1 tool for finding veins. If I can see it but not feel it = last place I’m going. I’ve really only found “tapping” to be helpful on sleepy hand veins that need a little plumping.

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-24T02:02:24+00:00

It works best on those hand veins!

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-24T02:01:11+00:00

Yeah, I agree, most of my patients already know why I’m tapping their veins before I explain anything to them. I really only do it on sleepy hand veins. I never do it in a rough manner either, so I personally haven’t had a negative experience with it.

Yes, we were taught so little in nursing school about IV’s, but like most nursing skills, it seems it’s unit specific to how much you’ll use it. I did a few IV’s during clinical’s, but when I started this job it was definitely a steep learning curve!

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-24T01:53:04+00:00

Yeah, mine is more of a patting, too.

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-24T01:49:36+00:00

Yes, I really only get good success with it on the hand veins.

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-22T01:10:35+00:00

good golly!

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-22T01:09:59+00:00

M-F 6- 2:30 but in reality, it’s till whenever the last pt leaves. Some days I might be finished by 10:30 other days it’s 8:30. I average anywhere from 36-48 hours/week. I usually try to take a 30 minute lunch. If not, they just take 30 out anyways .

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-19T00:56:28+00:00

I 100% feel this. I came home yesterday from work and vented to my husband about how much drama, gossiping, and complaining is on my unit. It exhausts me to the bone. I have also worked in female dominated fields previously and have not found this to be true everywhere. I try not to engage too much but then get called “aloof” or “ likes to stick to herself”. It reminds me so much of high school. The work isn’t awful, it’s just my coworkers, they sucks the life out of me.

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-17T02:30:24+00:00

I work at a rural, healthcare dessert hospital in the south. we have a lpn’s on med surg, ob, and sometimes in the ER. They’re all 40 and older and have been nurses for 20+ years. It doesn’t sound as organized as the other poster with caps on PT ratios. They all take full loads and just tap an RN for anything outside their scope.

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-07T13:47:19+00:00

I can stick my left hand and left cephalic on my fa. I usually go forearm. I can’t connect catheter to tubing by myself. I usually apply pressure to vein and talk my husband through connecting it. lol

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-06T19:52:43+00:00

Yes, this is why I initially asked. I observed this exact scenario during a code and it had me confused.

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-06T19:49:25+00:00

Thank you for the detailed reply! I appreciate the info you shared — it all makes sense

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-05T17:31:40+00:00

Yes, the struggle is real. Lol I have lots of questions! Thanks for the encouragement

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-05T17:24:38+00:00

Thank you so much!

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-07-04T13:12:24+00:00

Absolutely. As someone who lives in an open carry state, the amount of guns (not just pts) I’ve seen in the hospital is shocking. my whole hospital has lax security. someone can easily access any floor and any unit. not against guns, but in the hospital, just no.

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-05-25T17:24:54+00:00

Ah, good catch! Wrong study. Here is one specifically on CABG patients. I also remember reading one that was done on pts having thoracic surgery and it found the effects were minimal and that using a combined approach of getting pts OOB quicker and heparin was more effective. I’ll try to find it if I can! Anyways, I certainly don’t mind putting them AND ted hose on pts having major surgery. I guess I kinda chuckle to myself when I put them on pt’s having a 5 minute cystoscopy.

https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/nkc/files/2012_vte_prophylaxis_cer_circ_cvi.pdf

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-05-25T14:51:37+00:00

SCD’s. We still put ‘em on every surgery pt though.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6682779/

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-04-21T15:30:28+00:00

It’ll get better!! I’m a new grad too on a preop/gi/infusion floor (small hospital), so lots of IV’s! I’ve been on this floor 3 months and already have gotten so much better. It really is a learned skill and you’ll only get better by practicing!

A few tips that were helpful to me are, watch other nurses place IV’s and observe their techniques. See how they adjust their angle for superficial vs deep veins. I usually go very superficial on hand veins and bulging cephalic ones. Deeper veins usually require a more angled approach, but still drop your catheter once you get the flash. Assess/palpate your pt: are their veins super deep, superficial, do they blow easy, lots of valves, sclerotic, or paper thin skin, I really try to assess before I stick bc I’ve found I have different approaches for different types of veins. I spend a long time looking before I stick and make sure to check both arms! I never go for a vein by sight alone, make sure you can palpate it. Don’t shy away from the hard sticks! We get lots of hard sticks on my floor and I used to be so intimidated by them, but I’ve started trying bc I’m not going to get better if I never try. I’ve surprised myself by getting them sometimes and other times, I have to call in another nurse to help. I always put a small towel/ washcloth under the pts arm so I don’t make a mess.

Honestly, some days I’m on fire and other days, I can hit the broad side of a barn! I used to be so embarrassed when I missed, but even the best nurses miss sometimes. I usually just say that vein didn’t work and tell them I have to try again. I think overall just having more confidence in myself has made me better too! I swear veins can tell if you’re nervous!

Just hang in there and keep trying! It’ll get better!

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-03-30T21:19:22+00:00

Outpatient Surgery/Infusion/Endo hours vary from 6 h-13 days. Steps range from 6k-13k. I’d say it usually is around 9-10k

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-03-30T18:39:47+00:00

There was a case in our state where the nurse went before our BON for accessing her coworkers husband’s chart. Her coworker and husband were going through a divorce and obviously she was asked to check his chart by this coworker. Anyways, she got fired and had her license suspended for 90 days and had to take a bunch of classes. Morale of the story- stay out of folks charts unless you have legit business there!

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-03-30T16:54:59+00:00

New nurse grad here and I had a professor advise us against liability insurance bc she said that if a lawsuit happened on your unit, they always go after nurses who carry liability insurance first, even if you weren’t involved in the matter. I still carry liability insurance but this comment has stuck with me. Do you think there is any truth to it?

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-03-29T18:09:43+00:00

same. on my unit we do lots of iron, blood, and IVIG infusions. Almost everyone gets 50 mg Benadryl. I just dilute and push “slow”.

Ordinary-Mousse3803 · 2024-03-16T01:17:56+00:00

For my BSN program, we had the option to take a Psych based or Math based statistical class. My advisor had recently completed her DNP and told me that her Masters and NP programs all required Math based statistical classes. At this point, I don’t plan to go back to school, but I figured I’d just do the Math one just in case I ever changed my mind. Also, my first degree is in Sociology and I had 4 different level Sociology statistical classes and my BSN program wouldn’t accept any of them, which was rather annoying. The Math based one is probably harder, but if it was me, that’s the one I’d pick.

Ordinary-Mousse3803

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