As part of my IV class, I have to have two documented IV starts in a clinical setting. Wanting to get it over with, I scheduled my clinical time a week after class let out.
Instinctively I knew that I'd be good at starting IV's (not to toot my own horn, but I am pretty good at it :) ) so the concept of taking a 20 gage catheter and sticking it into someone’s vein is about as natural to me as it may be for you to make a cup of coffee, or ride a bicycle. Little bit of practice makes perfect...
I had to be in the day surgery ward of the hospital today, and unfortunately, surgeries are always scheduled early, so that meant that I had to arise at four am. Anyone who knows me knows that I love my sleep. But, I psyched myself up for an exciting adventure of poking people with sharp needles, and in the end, four am wasn't too impossibly hard for me to get up and going, especially when I realized that I'd rather be doing this than sitting around wondering what I was going to do with my life. It's nice to feel like you have a purpose.
After a nice hour long drive in the pitch black, a car running a red light and almost T-boning me, and observing two Police officers surround a suspicious looking man outside of a Payday cash advance store, I was well on my way to an interesting morning.
I had to walk a bit to the day surgery ward, and it was freezing. I found the place with relative ease, did the whole "I'm Sarah, I'm a student" business and was ushered back into the hospital setting that honestly looked like a nursing home. I was met by a Technician who through false kindness and gritted teeth told the receptionist (and in a round about way, me) to go away and wait in the waiting room until she was good and ready for her to retrieve me.
And so I sat. And sat. In the waiting room with the other OR patients checking in. It was about half and hour later when the same Tech (who secretly hated me earlier) announced loudly (and a bit too cheerily) "Okay Miss EMT student!!! Come on back!!!"
Well, we exchanged names, and then she told me to sit at a table and gave me a catheter to "play with". Why she thought I needed a catheter to play with is beyond me, but I sat at the table like a child and kept myself busy pretending to be perfectly contented to look at the lovely pink 20 gage needle.
I saw a nurse point to me and in whispered tones ask "Who is that? What's her name?" (Sigh. Why can't people approach me? Do I look like an ax murderer?) To which my Tech replied "Cindy". Again, if you know me, you know that I do not often mumble my words, especially when introducing myself since I seem to do it on a daily basis, and I know my own name fairly well. And how in the world she got my name so wrong is beyond me.... but, I corrected her, and she apologized, patted me on the back and called me "Hon". I don't much like being called "Hon" but there is nothing you can do about such situations.
Finally, the moment came for me to start my first real IV on a patient actually needing one.
She and her husband were perhaps the nicest people one could ever hope for when picking a patient. She had absolutely no problem with me sticking her, even when she asked how many patients I've done before and I had to tell her that she was my very first real life patient. And so, she offered me her right hand and before me lay beautiful veins. (I'm fully aware that at this moment I sound like a vampire, but good veins are a must for successful needle pokes). I usually prefer the antecubital space (the depression in front of the elbow) but this is where I was expected (and told) to start the IV.
Grabbing my needle and setting everything up, I professionally explained everything that I was doing to put her, and perhaps myself at ease. I stuck the needle in, and immediately got "the flash" (the bit of blood that lets you know that you are successfully in the vein). I advanced the catheter in just a bit more, and placed it, successfully. I then did a blood draw and finally, hooked her up to the IV to give her the fluids she would need. She told me she never even felt the needle go in. Thank God....
One down, one more to go.
My next patient was a pleasant woman who informed me that before she became a stay at home Mom, she was a bio-chemist. I'm always astounded to be in the presence of these simply brilliant people, and more so am humbled that they trust me to poke and prod them.
So, I proceeded to prep this nice lady and once more started a successful IV. She asked if I used a local anesthetic because she "honestly did not feel a thing". Yay! So perhaps I've found my knack... :)
I wound up leaving the OR about 7:30am, and sadly, no one bid me goodbye. But that's par for being an EMS student....no one really cares about your coming or going, just as long as you don't mess anything up.
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