IV catheter placement- giving up

Re: IV catheter placement- giving up

Rachel Chambers — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:31:04 GMT

Hi,

I was just like this! I got so worried that it was going to be the only task on my NPL not completed in time.

I was so stressed by it I'd actually throw a child like strop, so i brought a load home and practiced advancing them on my sofa! Worked a treat. I went from only being successful in about 50% of cases to successfully getting most of them! Be honest with your team so they can help you gain confidence, and try different techniques. For me, I cannot place them the way my clinical coach does, which is partly why I was struggling so much!

Re: IV catheter placement- giving up

jane Lewis — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 21:30:00 GMT

Glad u liked it and found it useful x

Re: IV catheter placement- giving up

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 21:13:17 GMT

Hey That is a really good video, thank you :) x

Re: IV catheter placement- giving up

jane Lewis — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 22:26:54 GMT

Hi,

Im teaching student VNs how to place catheters and came across tjis clip on youtube. It sounds like you already know what your doing and just need to build your confidence but its quite good for explaining technique if you fancy a watch (some of its a little different to our protocols but you wil get the idea).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7drVOoAw4I

Hope its ok to post this on here :)

Re: IV catheter placement- giving up

Ilovehorses — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 19:34:09 GMT

That really saddens me that you feel your head nurse won't help, as a head nurse myself I would never make someone feel like that! Are there any other qualified nurses that you are friendly with who would help you? Definately try practicing on cadavers and you can also quite easily make a mock vein to practice with. Also bear in mind that EVERYONE has bad vein days so don't ever think it's just you!! I've nursed for 20yrs and I still miss veins :-)

Re: IV catheter placement- giving up

Julie-Anne Wilson — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 19:24:58 GMT

[quote user="Pepper 1997"]However definitely my head nurse would not be up for helping out. I think I just need to try and calm down a bit also lol. Thank you again :)

[/quote]

Why wouldn't your HN be up for helping? I feel that that's a Head Nurse's position, to help the nursing staff.

Re: IV catheter placement- giving up

Anonymous — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 19:18:33 GMT

Hi thank you everybody very much for your help. I have never used this forum before for problems and I am so glad I did (after debating about it for ages!), everyone has been so kind. I think the cadaver idea is a good one and I will try the straw thing too. However definitely my head nurse would not be up for helping out. I think I just need to try and calm down a bit also lol. Thank you again :)

Re: IV catheter placement- giving up

Roseann21 — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 12:09:32 GMT

I really feel for you, it's so illogical to get a real hang-up about something like this, but it can happen with the strangest things. Years ago, I was a PA (before I started nursing) and for some reason I got a terrible complex about walking into to meeting room with a tray of tea and coffee!!!! When I think about it now, it makes me smile, but at the time I got into cold sweats about it and it got to the stage where I had to ask my boss to take the tray in! I hope that puts it into perspective for you - I was worrying about something really silly, you're not.

I agree with all the other advice, take every opportunity to practise, remember that no-one can be good at everything, and I bet in no time you'll be wondering what you were worrying about! If it's any consolation, I've worked with plenty of vets who are rubbish at placing catheters, taking jugular samples, restraining animals, etc, etc, etc

Re: IV catheter placement- giving up

Sal the 1st — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 17:26:46 GMT

[quote user="Pepper 1997"]

all the nurses have been there for years and years and they are very good at it, but it is something I do not get the opportunity to do often.

[/quote]

but there would have been a time when they would have been in the same boat and I will bet you for all their years and years of experience there are things that they wont be good at that you are - I know this is the case for me, and I'm not afraid to admit it. We all have strengths and weaknesses so dont let it get you down

Find somebody in the practice who you can trust and who will encourage you and ask them if whenever there is a possibility they can work with you and let you place a catheter, a few more opportunities with somebody helpful could be all you need to get some confidence

Re: IV catheter placement- giving up

emmadilemma — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 16:08:00 GMT

I think the most important thing is to try and not build this up too much in your head. Placing a catheter is a tiny part of being a veterinary nurse and there`s other skills that are much more important.

Practice is the only thing that will help but you could even try the technique for holding one on a piece of fruit or something just to build up your confidence. A good teacher is the key so next time the place is quiet i`d ask one the more approachable members of staff to show you on a nice premeded labrador. You`ll get there don`t worry!

Re: IV catheter placement- giving up

shelly jefferies — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 14:45:47 GMT

I agree try practicing on cadavers.

Also I have found with lots of nurses previously thay get the vein and then get flustered with advancing the catheter, getting their fingers tangled etc. With one nurse really struggling with this I enliste a little blue peter type help ....... i got 3 different diameter straws, taped them on the outside of an old kitchen towel roll, and covered them in a layer of vetrap. She then kept any old catheters that had maybe been used to attempt a veing and failed. She would then practice inserting the catheter into the straw and advancing up the straw. She is now great at placing i/v catheters!

Just keep practicing - maybe mention it to your Head nurse who may be able to push you forward.

Re: IV catheter placement- giving up

Julie-Anne Wilson — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 11:56:14 GMT

Can you maybe practice on cadavers?

Sometimes when I have trouble advancing, I try and flush the catheter through as I advance, if you hit a valve it won't go and flushing it through opens the valve. Also, those fighting cats with rhino skin don't advance easily since the skin is so tough.

The only way to get better, is to practice so just ask. Start with the larger dogs that have veins like hosepipes and once you're OK with them, work your way down to the smaller animals. And always remember to use the proper size, too small a catheter is just as bad as too large.