Hi all,
For those of you teaching peripheral IV classes, anyone still teaching doing live sticks with class participants? Although it gives experience on real people, I felt it was an old practice with too much liability involved. However I have received calls from nurses lately regarding peripheral IV and phlebotomy classes in our area that have attendees sticking each other for their practicum. For years some of the EMT courses used this method.
What are others doing? If you are teaching using live sticks, do the participants sign some type of release? Alice
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, NPD-BC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com
Office Phone 770-358-7861
Wasn't this also an OSHA issue that moved hospitals and other healthcare areas to stop with this practice of using healthy workers/volunteers?
We haven't allowed live sticks in years, for any venous access training.
Gwen Irwin
Austin, Texas
Good point. I don't know if it was an OSHA issue. Maybe someone else in the group is aware of this.
Alice
Ann Zonderman, BSN, JD, CRNI, LHRM
Well, I have a different take on this. Per the Board of LVN, California LVN must be IV certified to mange IV therapy. Certification courses requires 3 successful insertions of peripheral IVs
All my classes have a live - student to student insertion practicum. They understand that this is necessary, may volunteer to opt out, or bring their own volunteer and must sign a waiver holding the organization I work for harmless. One on one student instructor observation, limited class size for this 4 day class.
I do see a large difference in the demo hands/ arms and real life. Just learning to manage the equipment, blood return, patient prep (we set up a true patient scenario) orders, patient information, aseptic tech, cath insertions, and documetnation I have not seen any OSHA guidelines, but for sure we are diligent about being sure no blood contamination, gloves, diligent hand washing and strict disposal of all equipment.
A
Ann Zonderman, BSN, JD, CRNI
Ann, thank you for your input. I think there is a reoccurance of using this practice in my state, Connecticut. But here we do not have a state mandated requirement for a certain # of sticks for IV certification. I can understand the need to have a waiver signed. The alternative of having the participants get precepted clinical practice right after the class is not always an option.
Alice
Ann, thank you for your input. I think there is a reoccurance of using this practice in my state, Connecticut. But here we do not have a state mandated requirement for a certain # of sticks for IV certification. I can understand the need to have a waiver signed. The alternative of having the participants get precepted clinical practice right after the class is not always an option.
Alice
Ann, thank you for your input. I think there is a reoccurance of using this practice in my state, Connecticut. But here we do not have a state mandated requirement for a certain # of sticks for IV certification. I can understand the need to have a waiver signed. The alternative of having the participants get precepted clinical practice right after the class is not always an option.
Alice
I totally agree with Ann Zonderman (above). I occasionally teach the LVN IV Certification 4-day (30 hour) Course. Per the LVN Board in California, three (3) successful "live" sticks are required. If I have over 12-15 students in the class I always have another instructor with me in class on the days when the students do their live sticks. The instructor must be right there with the student when doing the insertion. If I feel the student is not capable or competent at the moment of insertion,I tell them to stop the procedure. I have been teaching this course on & off for almost 12 years and have never had any problems with live sticks on the recipient of the insertion.
We certainly do have the students sign a waiver that they understand "live-sticks" are a part of the IV Certification Course.