Just a little poke...

When I first started work on my unit, being competent in infant IV insertion skills was not a requirement. All of the APRNs, PAs, and MDs were IV skilled, and a number of the RNs were, but it wasn't an absolute requirement. It was often convenient to be able to place IVs yourself rather than wait for whomever was able to do the job to be available, but we got by.

Some of my friends who graduated at the same time I did found it amazing that IV insertion wasn't a required skill, since many of them completed their IV training while still on general orientation for their jobs (examples were ICU, Med/Surg, and L&D/Antepartum). Since my unit usually operates the ICU portion of the unit on 10-14 nurses, there were always a couple nurses to ask for IV placement help before having to go to the APRNs/PAs on the night shift for the task, which is probably why it wasn't a requirement for so long.

I wanted to become IV self-sufficient, so after an appropriate amount of time "settling in" to my new position, I began the (rather informal, at the time) training on IV insertion. I observed and read, then assisted, and finally began attempting insertions myself. I successfully placed my first two IVs, with lots of help from the experienced nurses teaching me the technique. I then failed two attempts. All were good learning experiences.

Then The Powers That Be decided that it would become a requirement for all RNs on the unit to be IV competent. They did not give a date by which this goal was expected to be achieved, but they did institute a formal program for IV training. So I started over, reading the self-learning packets, attending the classes, and using the plastic practice baby arms and legs (creeeeeeepy!) with food-coloring blood. A few of my coworkers seem to be testing the limits of this new decree by seeing how long they can go before needing to actually pursue the training, which will be "interesting" to see how it plays out.

(The "power struggle" portion of the workplace came a quite a surprise to me. Is it like that everywhere?)

Anyways, ss of my last shift, I finally (re)completed my competency sheet with my final "observed IV placement" section signed off.

Why yes, I do feel rather accomplished. Even if many of my contemporaries have been successfully placing IVs for a couple years now.