For nurses about insertting IV's and giving Shots?

When I was a kid my best friends mom went to nursing school. She practiced a lot on fruit. Eventually it just wasn’t such a big deal.

I want to be an RN and am applying to schools once they allow us to (mid August) I have no problem giving shots, but I am wary on poking peoples veins. But, only because I don’t want to be the nurse that does it painfully….you always remember those nurses and you don’t like them! haha. I let a new nurse practice on me recently, because you need to practice on people and it wasn’t a big deal to me. She actually did a great job, I could tell she was nervous though.
I’m fine with blood as long as long as it is not a family members. I completely panic if anyone I love begins bleeding.

There are big differences in where you work when it comes to needles, blood and IV’s. I’m a nurse and I work in rehabilitation, and I don’t do very much of those things, tho there’s always a ‘risk’ of having to do it. (Blood-drawing is most often done by lab-personell, at least here in Norway)

But the neddles are no big deal, you get used to them. After seing blood the three first times, you don’t care anymore.

Good luck! You’ll be fine, and I’m sure you’ll be a great nurse :D

I’m not a nurse but have a lot of friends who are, and some of them said the same thing as you. I think it’s something they got over after having to do it so much. You can be a doctor’s specific nurse eventually (ex: my obgyn’s nurse never draws blood, there are people in the lab who do all needle work). But I am pretty sure that along the way (at least through clinicals) you will get your fair share of blood work. If you like the job so much, don’t let the blood scare you. Be safe for yourself and considerate to the patients, and hopefully you’ll get used to it just like everyone else (kind of like no teenagers like going to the obgyn, but after 10 years or so it’s no big deal anymore, lol)

Definitely depends on where you work. Most of the nurses I know are private care /group home/school nurses for those with developmental disabilities/mental retardation and they rarely draw blood. But wherever you work, you will get ample practice drawing blood in your school program.

I’m not a nurse but I am the primary caregiver for my husband. Giving shots is not that hard. As someone else commented, first you practice on fruit, then you realize how important that injection is for the person to remain healthy, and then you just do it.

It’s cleaning up the poop that I never have liked, but you get used to that too. Fortunately he rarely vomits so I don’t have to cope with that often.

you guys are all such a great help. =D i’m diggin’ all the answers

everything that has been said has helped out big time.

As a doctor, I had to learn these skills, and like any other skill practice makes perfect. Now that I don’t do it, I wouldn’t want me putting in an IV, but I can put in larger IVs (central lines). Also, like any other skill, some people just have a knack for it while others are passable. For example, I thought I was good at putting in central lines but then I watched my wife insert a hemodialysis catheter (a very large IV) in less than 5 minutes, start to finish. She’s awesome. Likewise, in hospitals, all nurses are expected to perform these tasks, but frequently several nurses/phlebotomists are identified as “the best” and are called upon when others fail.

Giving shots is one of those skills that are like riding a bicycle – once you get the hang of it, it’s simple and easy as long as you pay attention to the anatomic landmarks. And it’s not hard to get the hang of it.

As shilolo says, putting in IVs is more of an acquired skill, but so is putting in a bladder catheter, interpreting a fetal monitor tracing, maintaining sterile technique in an operating room, inserting a nasogastric tube, which are all things nurses do regularly. You study and then you practice, with backup until you get competent. And then as you find your niche, you develop expertise.