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V A S C U L A R
A C C E S S
For your pre-op nurses, there's the pressure of not getting it right on
the first 2 tries — followed by the shame of being relieved by an anesthesia provider and letting him take a stab at starting the IV.
"There's stress, especially if it's a skill that you don't use all the time,"
says Michele Sena, MSN, RN, the clinical nurse educator at Winthrop
University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. "But experienced nurses tend to not
get nervous, to not feel the pressure and tension. Plus, they know that if
they can't find a vein that there will be an anesthesiologist to back them
up."
At Winthrop University Hospital, advances in technique and technology
go hand in hand. The use of a simulation mannequin helps nurses to practice IV insertion and venipuncture in a hands-on, reality-based scenario,
says Ms. Sena. "This type of experience is priceless in developing the
skills of the nurse with limited exposure to venous access," she says.
What's more, there are devices that can make IV starts safer and simpler
for your patients and your staff.
Safety catheters
If you use safety catheters, even your nurses who are nervous about
starting IVs don't have to worry about one of the hazards of IV starts:
the accidental needlestick, which can happen when you withdraw the
needle and advance the catheter in the vein. With renewed focus on
bloodborne pathogens and accidental sticks, your nurses will be
relieved to know they're starting IVs with a safety device.
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