Why I Love IV Nurses

IV teams are essential; they also train nurses in critical care units how to establish IV access, and share their knowledge constantly.Great article!

Loved my IV nurses! They were officially there to start PICC lines, access ports and troubleshoot central lines and were the remains of the IV team that the hospital got rid of soon before I startd working there as a tech.They were always willing to teach and had years of knowledge in areas besides IV.

I would LOVE to be an IV nurse! How does one get a job as one? I never see that advertised.Sent from my iPad using allnurses

As an IV nurse, I appreciate, being appreciated! It seems that in your place of employment, nurses don't place central lines, as that is what you posted, but in MANY other places, RN's place central lines all the time. PICC's are one type of Central Line, and we place them in all appropriate populations. Some places are actually exploring the expansion of the PICC nurse to place even more complicated catheters, like the non-tunneled central lines. Anyway, we are all nurses and all part of this great team to care for our patient's needs and restore them to wellness. YaY!

I wish we had an IV team. I am rapid response and some days I feel like I am the solo nurse on the IV team. One thing my grandma was in the hospital and was undergoing a colonoscopy prep and I told her nurse her IV went bad. Not even one attempt to try. My grandma even though she is elderly, she has ropes for veins. The RN caring for her immediately called the IV team and this was around 0200. At 0630 still no IV. I asked the RN to try as the IV team in this hospital was clearly very busy or just no one was on that night, and she said she would send to pre op with no iv. I was stunned. I had worked there previously and the IV team is very busy and if I felt I had a chance I would try at least once. The nurse refused to try and she sent grandma to pre op with no IV. Where I work we do our own IV's and blood draws. I am so used to having to do my own IV's I wouldn't know what to do with myself if we had an IV team. We do have a PICC team during the day. I wish they were on at night for the ones I can't get. (which are few and far between unless everyone has awful veins)

Quote from PacoUSAI would LOVE to be an IV nurse! How does one get a job as one? I never see that advertised.Sent from my iPad using allnurses

I think that for some nurses, IV teams can become a crutch. I know that some nurses on my floor wouldn't even try. I didn't blame them, necessarily, because it wasn't like they had their feet up, eating bon bons. It is a nursing skill, though, and should be practiced. I always tried at least once, unless my assessment of the patient's veins just didn't show anything. Some elderly folk and obese patients with thick arms are difficult to get. I know because I have thick arms, and people miss me all the time, hurting badly when they do.I know that some places have done away with IV teams because of nurses abusing the system or simply for monetary reasons. I find both to be bogus reasons to get rid of such a valuable asset to the bedside nurse.However, I would NEVER have let a patient go to pre-op without a line, even if I had to try several times. That's just irresponsible.Lynda

I love love love our iv nurses !!

My first staff job was at a hospital without IV teams. I had to learn how to do them, sink or swim. Now at a travel assignment at a hospital WITH IV teams, I am actually grateful that I had to learn to do them and not depend on someone else. IV teams dont work night shift anyway, so it is not like I get to benefit from them. However, nice that the day shift have that option.

Love my night shift IV nurses! I always try twice and then call them if I can't. I've had a nurse try to stick me 3 times when I was feverish, hypotensive and dehydrated. It just wasn't pleasant. Let an expert do it!

When I was in the hospital years ago, I had 3 nurses each try 3 different times to get an IV in. There was no IV team. They had to call the anesthesiologist to get it in; one stick and it was in place. I felt sorry for the nurses who couldn't stick me, but I wished they hadn't all tried so hard. Nine attempts is too much to ask a patient to go through!My sympathy comes because, as I have stated in various threads on this site, I can't stick a garden hose with a knitting needle. NO aptitude whatsoever, and believe me, I have tried! At work where there was no IV team, I would 'trade' trach care. caths, and colostomy care for someone to do the stick for me. Fortunately my co-workers were thrilled to put in an IV for me if I was going to take care of one of their unpleasant and/or disliked tasks.IV Teams are my heroes!

Quote from No Stars In My EyesAt work where there was no IV team, I would 'trade' trach care. caths, and colostomy care for someone to do the stick for me.