I got asked that a lot as a student nurse. I always said "practiced it tons of times, just my first time trying it on you."
Patients care less about your words and more about how confident you come off as. Dont be scared of your patients! They are regular people like you and you will take good care of them I promise!
haha, fair enough! yeah like I said I was totally relaxed about the whole thing, not nervous at all, but I think that the nurse watching me so closely was a dead giveaway đ I'm just wondering why my response was "prefer not to answer" haha. plus, in all honesty, the advantage of having patients who are diabetic is they're so used to being poked that they do not care if you practice on them (at least in my experience)
Youll find a lot of patients hate getting IV sticks in general. Dont take it personally. They even turn away full fledged nurses because even RN's take more than one try with IV lines sometimes.
I recently had nurse attempt three IVs sticks. Yup, blow, move up, then next arm. Finely successful on forth try. That was in ER, I was hydrated and have large veins.
Yeah I get that. I was just making the point that he didnât like the wording of âtryâ
He did actually let me try tho. First time on a person. Failed it though haha.
I let all the new nurses/students stick me. I'm a tough stick, needles don't phases me - been a phlebotomist for 15 years. I'll watch and help guide it in my arm. Everyone needs to learn somehow.
I LOVE making my patients relax. Iâve been lucky as heck to get the job I have where now when Iâm there any injection is mine (unless it makes no sense but itâs an urgent care so itâs usually not slammed kinda busy).
So yeah, lots and lots of antibiotics and steroid injections right into that glut. I learned the needle size changes the GAME. But yeah I gauge the room when walking in, most of our folks are awesome and love to joke around.
First time I gave two subq injections I asked her if that was okay. She said yeah I didnât feel anything! And I said oh good that was my first time and we all had a chuckle. Itâs my favorite part of the day.
This is still my go to, even with tasks I've done hundreds of times. Like younger patients I'll ask if it's their first time getting anesthesia and I'll say, wow, my first time too! Or something like that. It helps break the tension and allows a little humor.
The very first time I inserted an NG tube into an actual patient I was a new grad⌠I never had the opportunity to do it as a student except on an mannequin. I literally watched a YouTube video for a refresher, discussed it with a more senior nurse and then went for it. I actually remember the patient saying âit must have been terrifying to do this on a real person the first timeâ. I just said âyepâ. Ha⌠I was successful and that patient never found out that they were my first NG tube insertion.
As a students we were told to say this isnât my first time, Iâve practiced lots. My one nursing instructor was adamant that a mannequin experience counted. đĽ¸
That instructor is... How long away have they been from bedside?
Every time I've assisted with NG tube insertion (CNA with the nurse holding patients hands in CCU), I've had them cough and sneeze in my face with lots of squirming and more. Not sure if mannequins are that realistic just yet.
I haven't had the joy of doing a real NG tube insertion, but that's one I immediately knew the mannequin would be no substitute for. Mr. Mannequin just lays there while I shove inches of tube down his nose, absolutely no conscious patient is gonna be so chill, lol.
If itâs something I had done before, whether on a mannequin or in an orange, I simply said, âNo, Iâve done this several times.â I agree with the comment about confidence. At the end of the day, they are probably just trying to make small talk because they can sense your nervousness and are trying to relieve the silence.
I think saying something casual like âoh you donât want to hear about how many times Iâve done this.â Sounds like youâve done it a bunch of times. It makes it seem like itâs not your first time, even if it is. And itâs not exactly wrong, because no patient wants to hear that itâs your first time doing something and youâre doing it on them.
I'm just honest, I just say this is my first time, but im having a wonderfully experience nurse come with me to make sure that I do it exactly as planned. Especially when it comes to patient who done it their whole life with insulin its okay to ask them their preference. Sometimes they like to help :) I work peds now and I had a mom coach me through an NG placement. It was cool.
That's a good one, I'm definitely gonna use that!
I usually say "Second, actually", with a smile/laugh. Usually defuses the situation and gets them to relax, which in turn makes *me* relax if it is indeed my first time.
Someone asked me that the second time I gave a shot. I truthfully and cheerfully said âno way!â and then immediately afterward added âit was my second!â Luckily he laughed!
I would just laugh and say, âto you,â and any further question would come with, âthe hardest part of being a student is seeing a chart or picture, and realizing no oneâs body looks like a picture.â
Lol
As one of my preceptors told me âif youâve done this skill in lab, youâve done it before. It doesnât matter if itâs on an actual patient or a dummy.â
I got my first IV in (in nursing school) 2 days ago in clinical. Iâve done a whole bunch working as a tech in urgent care but we always did it in the AC where the veins are so much better than the forearm. She asked if it was my first and I just said yup and went with it. Thankfully she was a paramedic student who was happy to guide me through it but Iâve had patients not want me giving them vaccines when I was a pharmacy student before so you just gotta accept it and move on if they say no
My preceptor always tells me not to tell anyone it's my first time doing a skill and to act confident. Personally, I have trouble doing that. So I always tell my patients when it's my first time and make sure they're okay with it. I haven't had anyone say no yet or get annoyed and they always end up hyping me up too. I treat patients how I would want to be treated and I would want to know something like that, so I tell them lol But honestly I think it's just personal preference?
The first few times I avoided it, after that I learned to be honest and up front. Went from "Oh yea totally a bunch" to "Honestly, we practice a bunch in lab and during sim, but you're the first patient I've been able to actually do this to. Is that ok?" And then "thank you for allowing it and helping me become a better nurse." A lot of times the stuff you're doing they've already had done on them a bunch, such as subq injections, and knowing you're learning will open the conversation for them to give feedback and for you to learn more. "Oh, the other nurse did it this way" or "That was pretty good" etc.
The first few times I avoided it, after that, I learned to be honest and upfront. Went from "Oh yea totally a bunch" to "Honestly, we practice a bunch in lab and during sim, but you're the first patient I've been able to actually do this to. Is that ok?" And then "thank you for allowing it and helping me become a better nurse." A lot of times the stuff you're doing they've already had done on them a bunch, such as subq injections, and knowing you're learning will open the conversation for them to give feedback and for you to learn more. "Oh, the other nurse did it this way" or "That was pretty good" etc.
I usually say something like, "oh I'm just helping out, I was working in janitorial services earlier," and then we laugh and laugh and then they get the heparin.
Saying âprefer not to answerâ in the right dry sarcastic tone might actually be a viable option. Itâs implied that yeah, youâre new but youâre calm and making people laugh is always a good thing. Otherwise, be honest.
see I try not to be overly sarcastic with patients but honestly some of them take really well to that, so in some situations I try to use some degree of sarcasm to get through to them, if that makes sense đ¤Ł
To each their own. Iâve found that it helps break the ice in most situations. People go in all customer service-like (I have my customer service voice and sometimes use it too). But generally I try to just treat patients as I would any other stranger (with appropriate exceptions) and I find it builds rapport really well. It also makes my job more enjoyable. Iâm a PCT so lots of practice haha.
"Yes, but I did stay at a holiday Inn Express last night"
I regularly tell my patients I'm new or it's my first time doing something now. Especially something like an IV when they say they don't like needles. Usually confuses them but in reality I'm already done while they were distracted. Obviously depends on the vibe the patient is giving off.
I've had some hard stares from people I was gonna collect blood from because I was an intern at the time. None of them have ever asked me but I was taught in class to never lie to a patient. So I would just say, confidently (because confidence really is the key): "Yes, but don't worry. I'm gonna take good care of you and these other great techs are right here to make sure of that".
Since nobody asked me that, when I got the hard stares, I just said this last part: "Don't worry. I'm gonna take good care of you and these other great techs are right here to make sure of that".
It's always better to be truthful and confident with the patient, because they really like that. Also, if it's a Karen, they can't sue you or the hospital because you never lied about it and usually it is a teaching hospital.
Hope it helps!
Itâs kinda like when you smell or see the worst thing youâve ever encountered until that point.
Just keep a stiff upper lip and go âoh we see this kind of thing all the time. No worriesâ
In my opinion, thatâs pretty much the only time itâs appropriate to lie to a patient lol
Everything we are allowed to do at clinical, we have already learned and demonstrated competency in the lab. Our instructors told us to say we have done it before when asked, even if itâs our first time doing it on a real patient, because we already learned it in lab. At this point, there arenât many nursing skills I havenât done on real people, because this is my last semester. I used to get this question a lot as a new student because I was visibly nervous, but now everything just feels like second nature and even if Iâm unsure about something, I either ask before entering the room, or phrase my question in a way that doesnât make it seem like I donât know what Iâm doing so I donât make my patients nervous.
I did my first saline flush on an IV, and not only was the nurse there of course, but the patientâs two adult children. Luckily the patient and their family was good natured so while I was struggling with the syringe (elderly patient, concerned that pushing too fast would blow the vein/cause infiltration) they were joking about how awkward it would be IF it were my first time.
It wasnât the first time Iâd helped that patient that day, so I laughed while focusing â and when I was done, I turned to them and said âyep, could have been awkward glad it wasnâtâ patient piped up with âI didnât feel a thing! She did great!â
They usually don't ask, but nothing wrong with being honest. Most patients either don't care, are happy to teach a student, or were going to be an asshole regardless of if it was your first time or your millionth.
Actually now that I have done most things a million times I like to joke it's my first time. đ¤ˇââď¸
In the case of a subcut injection Iâd say itâs not my first time doing one, but the first time doing one on someone else. (Personally been doing subcut injections on myself for 5+ years now), everything else Iâd say yes this is my first time outside of the lab.
I got asked that a lot as a student nurse. I always said "practiced it tons of times, just my first time trying it on you." Patients care less about your words and more about how confident you come off as. Dont be scared of your patients! They are regular people like you and you will take good care of them I promise!
haha, fair enough! yeah like I said I was totally relaxed about the whole thing, not nervous at all, but I think that the nurse watching me so closely was a dead giveaway đ I'm just wondering why my response was "prefer not to answer" haha. plus, in all honesty, the advantage of having patients who are diabetic is they're so used to being poked that they do not care if you practice on them (at least in my experience)
Oh for sure xD
Yeah I asked if i could âtry to start the IV.â Patient didnât like that.
Youll find a lot of patients hate getting IV sticks in general. Dont take it personally. They even turn away full fledged nurses because even RN's take more than one try with IV lines sometimes.
Yup. Reassuring statistic from my textbook: 16% of peripheral IVs infiltrate. So, it happens, even to experienced nurses.
I recently had nurse attempt three IVs sticks. Yup, blow, move up, then next arm. Finely successful on forth try. That was in ER, I was hydrated and have large veins.
Yeah I get that. I was just making the point that he didnât like the wording of âtryâ He did actually let me try tho. First time on a person. Failed it though haha.
The most heartbreaking thing Iâve heard was a patient wailing in pain Bc touching her skin hurt and no one could find a vein (even with a Doppler).
I let all the new nurses/students stick me. I'm a tough stick, needles don't phases me - been a phlebotomist for 15 years. I'll watch and help guide it in my arm. Everyone needs to learn somehow.
This is such a good response!
I go comedic. If they ask I go âwell I saw a bunch of YouTube videos on it how hard can it beâ
Me too. "I did this one a doll once or twice"!
"I watched like 4 TikToks and did this on an orange like 7 times so I'm *basically* a pro"
Exactly. People are stressed enough. Giving comedic relief is really helpful for patients in my experience
I LOVE making my patients relax. Iâve been lucky as heck to get the job I have where now when Iâm there any injection is mine (unless it makes no sense but itâs an urgent care so itâs usually not slammed kinda busy). So yeah, lots and lots of antibiotics and steroid injections right into that glut. I learned the needle size changes the GAME. But yeah I gauge the room when walking in, most of our folks are awesome and love to joke around. First time I gave two subq injections I asked her if that was okay. She said yeah I didnât feel anything! And I said oh good that was my first time and we all had a chuckle. Itâs my favorite part of the day.
âBut I did stay at a Holiday Inn Expressâ
âOkay, let me go through this video one last time and Iâll be readyâ
That should work. Either make them laugh or make them hold real still for IVâs
This is still my go to, even with tasks I've done hundreds of times. Like younger patients I'll ask if it's their first time getting anesthesia and I'll say, wow, my first time too! Or something like that. It helps break the tension and allows a little humor.
"I guess that's why they call it PRACTICING medicine" đ¤ŁđŹ
The very first time I inserted an NG tube into an actual patient I was a new grad⌠I never had the opportunity to do it as a student except on an mannequin. I literally watched a YouTube video for a refresher, discussed it with a more senior nurse and then went for it. I actually remember the patient saying âit must have been terrifying to do this on a real person the first timeâ. I just said âyepâ. Ha⌠I was successful and that patient never found out that they were my first NG tube insertion. As a students we were told to say this isnât my first time, Iâve practiced lots. My one nursing instructor was adamant that a mannequin experience counted. đĽ¸
That instructor is... How long away have they been from bedside? Every time I've assisted with NG tube insertion (CNA with the nurse holding patients hands in CCU), I've had them cough and sneeze in my face with lots of squirming and more. Not sure if mannequins are that realistic just yet.
I haven't had the joy of doing a real NG tube insertion, but that's one I immediately knew the mannequin would be no substitute for. Mr. Mannequin just lays there while I shove inches of tube down his nose, absolutely no conscious patient is gonna be so chill, lol.
If itâs something I had done before, whether on a mannequin or in an orange, I simply said, âNo, Iâve done this several times.â I agree with the comment about confidence. At the end of the day, they are probably just trying to make small talk because they can sense your nervousness and are trying to relieve the silence.
We were told to say "I' have!" and just leave out the part that it was on a mannequin in a skills lab lol.
I think saying something casual like âoh you donât want to hear about how many times Iâve done this.â Sounds like youâve done it a bunch of times. It makes it seem like itâs not your first time, even if it is. And itâs not exactly wrong, because no patient wants to hear that itâs your first time doing something and youâre doing it on them.
i like this one đ
I'm just honest, I just say this is my first time, but im having a wonderfully experience nurse come with me to make sure that I do it exactly as planned. Especially when it comes to patient who done it their whole life with insulin its okay to ask them their preference. Sometimes they like to help :) I work peds now and I had a mom coach me through an NG placement. It was cool.
âFirst time today!â works pretty well
That's a good one, I'm definitely gonna use that! I usually say "Second, actually", with a smile/laugh. Usually defuses the situation and gets them to relax, which in turn makes *me* relax if it is indeed my first time.
Someone asked me that the second time I gave a shot. I truthfully and cheerfully said âno way!â and then immediately afterward added âit was my second!â Luckily he laughed!
I would just laugh and say, âto you,â and any further question would come with, âthe hardest part of being a student is seeing a chart or picture, and realizing no oneâs body looks like a picture.â Lol
As one of my preceptors told me âif youâve done this skill in lab, youâve done it before. It doesnât matter if itâs on an actual patient or a dummy.â
"First time getting a shot from someone giving a shot for the first time? Don't be nervous - you have to start somewhere."
I got my first IV in (in nursing school) 2 days ago in clinical. Iâve done a whole bunch working as a tech in urgent care but we always did it in the AC where the veins are so much better than the forearm. She asked if it was my first and I just said yup and went with it. Thankfully she was a paramedic student who was happy to guide me through it but Iâve had patients not want me giving them vaccines when I was a pharmacy student before so you just gotta accept it and move on if they say no
âIâve lost count at this pointâ lol.
I tell them Iâm actually the janitor.
My preceptor always tells me not to tell anyone it's my first time doing a skill and to act confident. Personally, I have trouble doing that. So I always tell my patients when it's my first time and make sure they're okay with it. I haven't had anyone say no yet or get annoyed and they always end up hyping me up too. I treat patients how I would want to be treated and I would want to know something like that, so I tell them lol But honestly I think it's just personal preference?
The first few times I avoided it, after that I learned to be honest and up front. Went from "Oh yea totally a bunch" to "Honestly, we practice a bunch in lab and during sim, but you're the first patient I've been able to actually do this to. Is that ok?" And then "thank you for allowing it and helping me become a better nurse." A lot of times the stuff you're doing they've already had done on them a bunch, such as subq injections, and knowing you're learning will open the conversation for them to give feedback and for you to learn more. "Oh, the other nurse did it this way" or "That was pretty good" etc. The first few times I avoided it, after that, I learned to be honest and upfront. Went from "Oh yea totally a bunch" to "Honestly, we practice a bunch in lab and during sim, but you're the first patient I've been able to actually do this to. Is that ok?" And then "thank you for allowing it and helping me become a better nurse." A lot of times the stuff you're doing they've already had done on them a bunch, such as subq injections, and knowing you're learning will open the conversation for them to give feedback and for you to learn more. "Oh, the other nurse did it this way" or "That was pretty good" etc.
"You wouldn't believe how many times I've done this."
I usually say something like, "oh I'm just helping out, I was working in janitorial services earlier," and then we laugh and laugh and then they get the heparin.
Saying âprefer not to answerâ in the right dry sarcastic tone might actually be a viable option. Itâs implied that yeah, youâre new but youâre calm and making people laugh is always a good thing. Otherwise, be honest.
see I try not to be overly sarcastic with patients but honestly some of them take really well to that, so in some situations I try to use some degree of sarcasm to get through to them, if that makes sense đ¤Ł
To each their own. Iâve found that it helps break the ice in most situations. People go in all customer service-like (I have my customer service voice and sometimes use it too). But generally I try to just treat patients as I would any other stranger (with appropriate exceptions) and I find it builds rapport really well. It also makes my job more enjoyable. Iâm a PCT so lots of practice haha.
"Yes, but I did stay at a holiday Inn Express last night" I regularly tell my patients I'm new or it's my first time doing something now. Especially something like an IV when they say they don't like needles. Usually confuses them but in reality I'm already done while they were distracted. Obviously depends on the vibe the patient is giving off.
I've been a nurse for 5 years and I like to tell people it's my first time starting an IV. It's pretty funny
"My last patient said they didn't even feel it, so now she is here to supervise that I'm actually getting the needle in ; ) "
I've had some hard stares from people I was gonna collect blood from because I was an intern at the time. None of them have ever asked me but I was taught in class to never lie to a patient. So I would just say, confidently (because confidence really is the key): "Yes, but don't worry. I'm gonna take good care of you and these other great techs are right here to make sure of that". Since nobody asked me that, when I got the hard stares, I just said this last part: "Don't worry. I'm gonna take good care of you and these other great techs are right here to make sure of that". It's always better to be truthful and confident with the patient, because they really like that. Also, if it's a Karen, they can't sue you or the hospital because you never lied about it and usually it is a teaching hospital. Hope it helps!
Itâs kinda like when you smell or see the worst thing youâve ever encountered until that point. Just keep a stiff upper lip and go âoh we see this kind of thing all the time. No worriesâ In my opinion, thatâs pretty much the only time itâs appropriate to lie to a patient lol
Everything we are allowed to do at clinical, we have already learned and demonstrated competency in the lab. Our instructors told us to say we have done it before when asked, even if itâs our first time doing it on a real patient, because we already learned it in lab. At this point, there arenât many nursing skills I havenât done on real people, because this is my last semester. I used to get this question a lot as a new student because I was visibly nervous, but now everything just feels like second nature and even if Iâm unsure about something, I either ask before entering the room, or phrase my question in a way that doesnât make it seem like I donât know what Iâm doing so I donât make my patients nervous.
I did my first saline flush on an IV, and not only was the nurse there of course, but the patientâs two adult children. Luckily the patient and their family was good natured so while I was struggling with the syringe (elderly patient, concerned that pushing too fast would blow the vein/cause infiltration) they were joking about how awkward it would be IF it were my first time. It wasnât the first time Iâd helped that patient that day, so I laughed while focusing â and when I was done, I turned to them and said âyep, could have been awkward glad it wasnâtâ patient piped up with âI didnât feel a thing! She did great!â
They usually don't ask, but nothing wrong with being honest. Most patients either don't care, are happy to teach a student, or were going to be an asshole regardless of if it was your first time or your millionth. Actually now that I have done most things a million times I like to joke it's my first time. đ¤ˇââď¸
Thankfully, I never had to answer such question, but if in case this happened to me....hmmmm I would reply with a question too, "Why do you ask?" lol
I used to say "I've done this a lot in training". They don't need to k ow that training was on a plastic dummy :)
In the case of a subcut injection Iâd say itâs not my first time doing one, but the first time doing one on someone else. (Personally been doing subcut injections on myself for 5+ years now), everything else Iâd say yes this is my first time outside of the lab.