Mastabattas Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 One of the best teaching techniques I have utilised is to force my students to go for the hard shots. Let them set up the IV and choose their vein, then tell them to choose another one, eliminating the easy shot. Make the AC veins "off limits" until they have at least tried one blind or difficult shot distally. If all they do is go for easy shots that don't even require tourniquets, they'll never get any better. I make them take blind shots at the cephalic vein on the wrist, going by feel. After a couple of successes at that, their confidence is greatly increased, as is their technique. Dust that's almost EXACTLY what NAIT had us do. We did our IV's and SQ/IM shots on Dec. 9th/10th. AC was only allowed if you'd already gotten two successful starts. All 'pokes' were on eachother...no exceptions. Our SQ and IM's were easy. We did one each also on and unless there were problems with technique or understanding that was fine. IV's we were required to get 3 starts before going home. Most of us took a few tries. Personally I had 6 attempts, to get my 3 starts. And I had 5 attempts done on me, all were unsuccessful but my bruising was minimal. We started at the hands and did as many as we could there...then moving up to the wrist, and onward. As it turns out, the vein I found easiest was the one I couldn't see, but could feel: the cephalic. We didn't have dummies to practice with first, which I would have liked in addition to our 3 human starts...only because it's a lot to learn all at once (the handling of 'tools' as well as poking friends). But we survived! And for now we're done. I'm hoping to organize with our teachers a chance for a second day for those of us that want more practice. I definitely feel I could use it and don't mind contributing a little coin for the supplies to do it either. Interesting to note, a friend teaches IV's for a different program here...MRI actually...and he did have them practice on a dummy first before doing their 3 good starts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tniuqs Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 When I whent through "IV school" it was in ER. The student RNs were not allowed to do starts in the area, Paramedics students did them ALL. So feeling a bit guilty, so I let the RN students practice on this "dummy"........ not the best choice I have ever made....but did get a date out of it! cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rezq304 Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 I found that starting IV's on the fake arm wasn't at all like starting lines on real people, so the practicing on other students really was useful.... Gotta say I agree. THe arm isn't anything like the real thing. Same thing with intubations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FormerEMSLT297 Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 In both my EMT-CC (I)class,,, and EMT-P class as well as Navy Corps school , ,we practiced I.V.'s on each other. Heah DUST,, I just curious ,, how did you practice IM and SQ on each other ? Saline ?..... we used oranges and dummies for that ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mastabattas Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Heah DUST,, I just curious ,, how did you practice IM and SQ on each other ? Saline ?..... we used oranges and dummies for that ... Your question is for Dust...but likely the answer is the same as mine: We practiced IMs and SQs on each other using Saline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iMac Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 When I did my EMT we did IV's on each other in class. Every afternoon we spent 2-3 hours in class doing scenarios where we would really actually start the lines, used O2, did ECGs etc. By the time I graduated from class and did my practicum, I had over 60+ I,V. starts and was very comfortable with the equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMSm0nster Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 whoa, I'm scared for medic school now... Do they use each other in CA.? haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iMac Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 emsmonster, You need to be careful when you are in class. Sometimes due to the puncture wound from the I.V. starts you end up getting tissue necrosis and the arm falls off. Just make sure you have health coverage once you make it into the program. :bootyshake: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustdevil Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 DUST,, I just curious ,, how did you practice IM and SQ on each other ? Saline ?..... we used oranges and dummies for that ... Ooops! Somehow I missed this post before. We did B[sub:71a525ae1d]12[/sub:71a525ae1d] IMs on each other in medic school. I don't think we did SQs on each other. I know we didn't do IVs on each other in medic or nursing school, just venipunctures. Although, in military medic school we did do IVs on each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassnmedic Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 We also started IV's on each other in class after we had the basic concept down using the arm. Also, we had a 60 hour clinical rotation on the IV team at our local hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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