Pedia Scare
Category: Filipino Nurses, Filipino Nurses' Stories, Posted on September 12th, 2009 by adminNo Comments
IV insertion: a seemingly hard task for newbies (nurses) to perform. IV insertion in pedia patients: dreadful. I myself deemed it as one even in my years of experience. My first time to do an IV insertion was sweat-drenching; after three attempts I made it but my patient was almost violent. And did I mention it was an adult patient? It’s even worst when I had my first pedia IV insertion cause I actually failed and had to summon the help of my superiors after seeing the wrinkling foreheads and crossing eyebrows of the baby’s parents. It was on my second pedia IV insertion that I succeeded—on the second attempt.
I have asked various colleagues about their most feared tasks when they were still virgins in the actual clinical field. Like me IV insertion in pedia patients are always among the list. We often view pedia patients as fragile and delicate little creatures that don’t deserve pain. Their innocence and frailty evokes pathos. These facts, I believe, tend to deter new nurses to experience IV insertion in pedia patients. Anyhow, despite the damningly tremulous episodes, we are still responsible to carry out our duties. And so like tyro witches in a coven surrounded by expert hags, we poke and poke the squealing voodoo dolls with our needles until we see their blood flow.
The pressure in pedia IV insertion is in itself grueling. And factors such as the baby’s shrilling cry, the parents’ presence and the superiors’ observation make it even more scorching. However, just because you saw a blood shed doesn’t make a failed IV insertion a heinous crime. A stubborn if not furious patient or parents often ensue after a failed IV insertion; it’s the typical scenario; after all you’re still inducing pain. Just as long as the patient’s health is not compromised and your intentions are as clear as the baby’s conscience, so there’s absolutely nothing to be scared of.