IV insertion for champs.

IV insertion pass-off.

a little nerve-wracking.  

and since it's all about what you do, step-by-step, 

{each finger movement can make you or break you}

i needed some practice.

so i rolled up a towel and made an arm.

and stuck a needle in it. 

many, many times.

john laughed at me,

and also reluctantly offered for me to practice on him.

i regretfully declined, because it's against the rules,

but i wish i could have.  he has very nice veins.

it's one of the things that originally attracted me to him, really.

the steps:

1. wash hands
2. assess pts prior exp., explain procedure
3. ID patient
4. identify vein
5. position chux
6. prepare supplies
7. prime saline lock
8. prep site with chloraprep
9. apply tourniquet
10. don clean gloves
11. perform venipuncture with bevel up
12. advance catheter
13. remove tourniquet
14. apply pressure to vein above insertion site, remove needle and turgor safety device
15. kinect tubing to IV catheter
16. flush saline lock
17. apply transparent dressing
18. secure IV with tape
19. label dressing
20. maintain sterile technique

and in my pass-off today, i didn't miss a single step- not one.

100%

thank you little towel arm.

you just made my day.