IV Tips

Anatomy, gravity, tapping, a second tourniquet, stabilising the vein and practising the motion — how to actually get good at placing IVs.

Placing IVs is probably one of the most important skills an ER nurse can have. In any true emergency, medications will need to be given, and for most medications giving them IV means they start working faster, ultimately helping treat the patient faster. • Know the anatomy! Know where veins are normally supposed to be so that you can look there first. • Let gravity help you! Let the arm hang a little, ask the patient to squeeze a couple of times. But let gravity help you! • Don't be afraid to give the vein you see a couple of light taps to get it to pop out more. • Use a second tourniquet if needed. • Get an IV catheter and just practice holding it. As well as the motion necessary to advance the catheter into a vein. The more comfortable it feels to hold it and advance, the easier it will be to place an IV in real life. • Learn how to stabilize veins! They will roll, unless you properly learn how to. Ask your preceptor to review this! Typically one hand is used for stabilizing, while the other is used for the actual IV placement. • Practice finding veins on your family and or friends. The skill most needed is learning to recognize how a vein feels, so the more you do it, the more your fingertips get used to. So when it comes to the real thing, to an actual emergency, you'll be more used to finding good veins. • Try and try and try again. Even if you're not getting them at first, I promised there's going to be a turning point where placing IVs kind of just clicks. But you have to put in the work. You should try to place an IV any time you get a chance.

IV Tips

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