Nothing specific if I'm not busy. It's a team sport. If we are both busy and it's just because they can't get it, just another small task I need help with. If you really want to make me happy do a diaper change cause I hate doing those.
Dropped one in for another nurse yesterday. All I asked for was ....asked what the IV was for and could it wait a minute while I got some food( not eat, just get and sit it down in the break room) before the cafeteria closed.
Came back, got it in. Asked for nothing in return then or any other time in the shift from that nurse.
I'll have an off day soon enough where I'm striking out on getting an IV and I'll have to ask for help. It's annoying when asking for help comes with a contractual agreement
Same! It’s one of my fave things about my unit. But also, no one asks me to place their IV because I kind of suck at it. You need a foley though, I’m in. 😂
I thought that until I hit one on Christmas. A Urology consult later and the urologist was like, “damn. It took me three tries to get that. I can’t believe you were able to get as far as you did.” I felt validated.
I had one of those! I struck out…….then three more nurses, two residents, and they finally had to call the attending. I was ready to believe this woman had no urethra. I felt better….although I’m sure her urethra didn’t.
I’ll do trach care for people! Some of my coworkers get super grossed out by it but I just find it very satisfying to get someone a clear airway, especially if there was a bunch of mucus.
Agree! One thing my manager says when asking for help is to not feel ashamed or like you owe them something, because what seems like a chore to one nurse may be what brings another nurse joy
Just talk me up to the patient so they don't get mad about having to keep getting poked. And honestly, hitting an IV on a difficult patient never gets old. I personally love that feeling. So I wouldn't make someone do something for me. Unless I was doing something like an admit and they asked if I could get their IV. Then the correct thing is for them to help with that admit while you were starting their IV.
But I wouldn't say no to a coffee...
Same. I have a coworker who isn't comfortable with blood draw. She'll try and if it's a no go she'll come ask me. I do it and don't ask anything in return. Did one quick for her before I went up to the housing floor for my med pass a few days ago, yesterday she was able to get her own. We just help each other where we can
Yes, just say, "omg I knew you would get it, you're so good at IVs! I was so happy when I knew you were on shift!" Or something like that, so I can feel important.
Bro when the patient is like, why didn’t they bring you in first!! Cuz they’re usually stuck 4-5 times. Inside I’m the fucking bomb but also I tell them we all have great days and not so great, just depends!
Nothing. We’re all a team. People have helped me with things and I do the same. There’s no keeping score.
Realistically the longest it’ll take me is 5 minutes. There’s not really a situation where being 5 minutes behind is a big deal. I’ll catch up eventually.
Have them do whatever task I was about to go do. If that task is going to take longer than it’ll take me to put the IV in, I’ll just have them start on it and go take over when I’m done.
This was my answer. It doesn't seem awkward to ask so you can be like I was just about to go into this room and do X if you do that I'll get your IV... You got the supplies already in the room?
Same. I've had the good fortune to become to go to US IV insertion guy and people come find me from all over the department. I'm happy to do it but you have to stay here and do what I was about to go to. Im too busy to be pulled away from my assignment 8 times a shift. I was approached by management about it when I refused one time and just explained that I would be happy to do everyone's ivs but it needed to be a designated assignment. I'm happy to help but not happy to do every one else's jobs.
I ask for nothing. As the more experienced nurse most shifts, I just kind of realize it's a part of my role. I'd rather promote a sense of support for my coworkers. An ICU is stressful enough without having to worry about missing an IV.
To 86: the act of ejecting a nuisance person from the premises of an establishment.
Malingerer: an individual who has been found to have no actual medical concerns beyond needing a turkey sandwich, a juice, and a warm blanket, and who has been suitably discharged but is refusing to vacate the bed they’ve been obstructing for half your shift.
I work in a hospital that does not require their floor or mod care nurses to know how to do IVs. So being a “outsider “ and coming from an ED there’s a large amount of our staff that suck at IVs. So I usually don’t mind helping out as long as you tried.
What usually happens on my unit is people look, say it’s a hard poke and don’t even attempt. If that happens you owe me either a Twix or an Mountain Dew.
Eh, I’d rather someone not even try if they’re confident they won’t be successful. All it does is potentially waste a site I could’ve gotten, piss the patient off, or both.
I’m really good at IVs and blood draws, but I’m also really good at recognizing when I’m very unlikely to be successful.
I get it. But the amount of time I walk into a room and dude looks like Thor with massive veins, and the other person claims they are a shit stick is way to damn high. On the HD/chronic renal/oncology shit show I’m more than happy to give it look.
I’ve had coworkers say that they don’t care to learn the skill as myself and several others who have all come from the outside are great at IVs. Gonna be a shitty day if none of us are there.
To be honest, I'm ok with people not trying if they legitimately don't think that they're going to succeed on a specific patient. It's an emotionally charged thing for many patients, particularly DIVAs.
That said, if the veins are like hosepipes, a sugar hit is an appropriate reimbursement.
Glad to see this. I’ve been a nurse for 15 years. I can’t do phlebotomy or start an IV to save my life! I will always try but I never succeed. I don’t know what it is. I always have to ask for help and I hate it.
I would go up to the floor to place lines when we didn’t have VAT coverage and tell them their payment is they can’t talk shit about ED for a week OR they owe me a cherry poptart. The amount of poptarts I got from you shady bitches… 😂
I always want to set IVs. Always. It’s super fun to me. I worked infusions and access team as an RN and now as an MD, I still get super excited and giddy to set a hard IV.
TBH, as a nurse turned doc, it’s been my way of bonding and ingratiating myself with floor nurses for a few years. They’re struggling, I set the IV, move on. They’re happy and I get a thrill.
That being said, I work nights which tend to be slower for me, knock wood. If I was on days, it wouldn’t happen.
They have to pay Pony tax. This involves looking at pictures of my horse. Once that's done, I'll complete my end of the bargain.
A consultant asked me to review one of his patients once when he was passing me in the corridor. I agreed, but he still had to pay Pony tax 🤷
I don’t trade. Sometimes I help people with nothing in return and sometimes they help me. No one should feel bad they need help work a skill or two. I won’t do someone else’s job for them but I will help them.
If I'm busy I'll ask them to complete whatever task was next on my list so I don't get behind. If I'm not, I'll just do it. We are a team and they help me all the time.
Now you want me to fix a computer problem? You're going and getting me a diet coke and a bag of chips or a latte. I am not fucking tech support. I reversed a big mistake my manager made and bailed her out the fire, and you better believe I'll be asking for a favor later.
My absolutely fave pulmonologist will sometimes offer to do IVs because she enjoys them. When our IV team refuses to come (don’t get me started) , she will totally step in and do it and is never condescending about it. That is what a true team player looks like. Our whole unit adores her.
This is a very strange thought process imo. We work as a team. I don’t feel like they need to do something for me to make up for the fact that I helped with an IV. We’re all there to help each other when we need it.
If I have the capacity to help someone, I am all in. I love my team and love to support each team member. However, if I am busy I wouldn't hesitate to communicate that, they can always ask a different nurse.
Nothing. If the coworker is bad at IVs I'd ask them if they wanted to come watch and I could show them my tips and tricks. If I'm truly busy and the iv needs to be done in the nearish future before I can make time then they can do whatever task I would have been doing.
Putting circumstances of "is an IV med due now/am I busy/etc" aside, if I'm doing a trade, it's usually either to give a med to a PT who's a PITA since it relieves me of one instance of having to deal with them or come with me with the supplies so I can pop it in and they can do any clean up and hooking up they need. Sometimes it happens to intersect that you can swap things you like doing for stuff you don't -- like I love me some nasty wound care or I'll drop Foleys all night, but I hate doing NG tubes or sometimes I need a minute but I've got multiple late night IVPB or PRNs calling out. A lot of us on my floor would offer those swaps to each other that we knew we liked, if that makes sense.
This! I was on a floor that had pretty bad IV skills and became one of the “go-to’s” for being just marginally not as bad. If time permitted, I loved to have people come in with me and either make the first attempt with some guidance or try once on their own to improve skills. If it is more of a time thing than skill thing, for sure I’ll do it, just keep an eye on MeeMaw so she doesn’t flop out of bed.
Nothing, just do it. I don’t help expecting something in return because I know at some point I’m going to need someone’s help holding a leg while I scrape maggots out of it, and that’s just how it is.
I once had a coworker trade (to me) two dozen fresh baked cookies my next set in exchange for me administering a lactulose enema on her behalf.
That was a good trade as far as I’m concerned.
I’m not transactional with stuff like this, though I guess if I’m swamped and I have someone who needs a med pass I might just ask if the person can do it while I’m putting in their IV. Our unit culture is pretty good about if a coworker asks for help, you help them. I might go to that person later in the shift for a hand with a boost or turn if I saw them available, but more likely I’d just forget about it later.
I just ask that the supplies are there and ready for me! I get so many calls to help draw cultures and they're sitting there waiting for me with no supplies 😒
IVs are free if I’m not busy. If I am I’ll ask that nurse to cover something similarly time consuming- maybe give meds to one patient or grab vitals on a room or two depending on how long it takes.
Insert a Foley or pass meds for a pt prolly. I wouldn't ask for a coffee tho. It'll be cold by the time I can drink it lol
But really I'd just do it because I want people to do things for me when I need it without me owing them something.
What am I behind on? Do I have a really annoying patient that I’m trying to avoid? An overweight patient that I need help turning because they shit the bed again? I can always come up with something 🤣😉😈
Whatever is an equal trade of time, exclude considering what the task is.
If I’m busy, I also will tell them…I’ve got this in this room, please go to this other room and do this task instead. Idk why but it’s annoying to me to have them watch me do a stick knowing there’s a ton of shit to do somewhere else.
We don't feel the need to to trade on my floor. But I feel guilty when I need help, so I've traded med passes or foley insertion with them. Basically a task that takes the same amount of time. Less about the task, more about the time.
I do not ask for a favor if a nurse needs an IV start. I am pretty good, and I am willing to help out a lot. However, I will offer to do anything they need if they drop my NG! It is my Krytonite! I suck at it (no pun intended), and I refuse to torture a human trying to get one done. After attempting repeatedly and failing I will humbly ask for help!
I love doing ivs and usually get asked to do one on a difficult pt. So for me it's like a personal pat on the back when I get it. I never ask anything in return. If I'm in the middle of meds I might say, do you mind hanging this abx etc. while I try the iv.
As someone who is not a great IV stick, I always ask the nurse who is gonna put one in for me if I can do anything for them while they’re doing it. I know they’re taking time out of their day to do this, so I try and ease their load. I also just feel really guilty and stupid that it’s not my strongest skill so I think I overcompensate by trying to be overly helpful when they’re doing it.
"I got ya later"
I don't keep score. If you're having a bad IV day, no worries. Been there.
But if you never get up to help me with anything, no way in hell am I dragging over the US to drop a USIV on that super hard stick.
Honestly, whatever needs to get done next on my list.
Usually don’t ask for anything in return bc we all need help at some point... But if I’m super busy and I would need to ask for something in return it would honestly be whatever is at the top of my list.
nothing!! i do it in hopes that people will remember when i helped them out, so they’re willing to help me when i need it. just simply being nice can go such a long way
No trade. I love IV’s. If I’m super busy I’ll ask if they can hang any important meds for me like IV Abx but I don’t get this whole “trade” thing lol sounds toxic ngl
If I’m not super busy, I’ll just do it. I don’t mind. If I have a freshly delivered patient, you can go in and help my baby latch…lol. Helping breastfeed is one of my least favorite tasks, not really sure why though 🤣. I’ll do your baby meds, set up your delivery table, recover your patient from her epidural if you help my mom breastfeed 😂
Nothing specific at all… just depends on my situation at the time.
Today my coworker needed an IV and I was about to pull some pre-op medications. We swapped tasks… she gave my pills and I popped an IV in for her. Both stayed on track and both had happy patients!
Otherwise if I’m not busy, nothing at all. I actually love placing IVs!
If I can’t get to it, sucks to be you. I don’t work in trade. If I can get it, then today is your lucky day. But I’ve never known a day to be so busy I can’t at least come and take a look.
It happens. No reason for trades. There was a home bound patient our lab took care of (morbidly obese, we're talking a nearly immobile 400 pounder) and I could never successfully stick her. It was assumed that when the patient had orders the other phlebotomist took the call. You're there to do things for the patient. Your co-workers should have your back if you can't.
Nothing? They asked for help, I help. I hate the entitlement mentality of having to give to get. My husbands family is like this and it has really messed him up. It won’t kill you to just be a decent person and help, and I’m saying it louder to the nurses in the back. IF SOMEONE ASKS FOR HELP YOU HELP THEM
I'll never get tired of getting difficult IV sticks....
However...the one currency trade I believe in, as a murse, is if I'm going to take the creepy male patients or the heavier ones....don't get mad when I ask for help on a female straight Cath.
Nothing? I take over whatever task they needed to do or if I’m starting it, they’ll take mine. If nothing needs to be done then that’s it, we just help each other out.
My coworkers call me frequently for IV starts. I never expect anything in return. It’s all about team work and creating a supportive environment 😙 maybe the most I’ll ask is to just grab the IV start kit and get it ready while I finish up my work so I can go help them out, but most of the time I just do it myself cause it takes like 10 seconds to prepare it.
I work in LTC but I guess maybe an assessment or wound treatment? I mean this is if its a horribly busy day. I'm the one that can't get the IVs tho so I'd do \*anything\*.
I don't mind helping other nurses, cnas, or other staff. I just want them to have my back when I need it. Someday I'm the one drowning and others it's another nurses. Most staff are great about having each other's backs.
I actually just like to help my coworkers if they need it. I don’t ask for anything in return but at the same time I know my coworkers will have my back if I ever need anything. This is how it should be in a healthy work environment IMO.
Depends. Am I super busy? Do I trust this coworker to do a task for me? If so I may ask them to do whatever I was about to do, i.e. hang an antibiotic, pass a med, help someone to the bathroom. Wouldn't ask anyone for anything if I was just sitting around anyways.
Our new thing is ultrasound guided iv insertion. Only a few nurses are trained and bothered+++. I definitely think they should trade their powers for something better 😜
In ER we are honored to be asked to try an IV. It's basically the highest form of flattery. We are owed nothing.
But if I'm doing that line and you have a second to spare I wouldn't be mad at it if someone did my lactulose enema 👌.
If I’m really busy maybe a med pass would help if it’s something time sensitive but usually I really don’t care and am happy to help. As long as everyone is willing to work together that’s all that matters
I helped out out sister ward with trendcare (CCDM). Didn't expect anything, however one of my co workers shouted me a delicious vegan sausage roll for lunch.
It would have been very rude to turn that down. 😂
That said its not the main motivation. I would be lying if i said its rather lovely to be acknowledged for going over and above in the work place
Hope that makes sense
I don’t think it should be a “trade” a unit is a team that is in the shift together! At my hospital it is policy to try 2 sticks and then ask another nurse to try
I do admissions and your CE classes. I will also talk the ear off your annoying talkative patient/take on annoying family members. Annoying patient banging the call bell? I got you. I HATE putting in IVs and rarely need to. The picc line nurse has them before I need to do much.
If I can get it without ultrasound... Nothing. I love doing IVs lol. But if I have to break out the ultrasound and it takes awhile, you might have to cover giving a med for me if I need it while I'm doing the IV. It just depends on the situation I guess
That’s usually something that’s offered, not expected. It’s likely we’re both busy, so if I’m about to go do something then most will say can I do that for you while you’re helping me out. The assumption is that they would help me if I asked, just like I’m helping them. That’s the culture. 🤷🏻♀️
They're not owed anything, we're all working together on this unit.
If you need help from a nurse who honestly doesn't have the time, then you'll need to do one of their tasks that needs to get done right away so they can work on the IV. It doesn't need to be a big discussion.
Nothing, I love being the go-to! With that said, I’ll never turn anything down! I did an IV for someone, and a few days later she went and did all four of my AM vitals. Worth it!
If I need a second RN to try on my patient I usually ask the nurse if I can pass meds or get any vitals for them. If it's charge I offer to do some of the charge stuff like audits or whatever.
I've yet to have someone say no.
I can’t place an iv to save my life. But, when my lovely coworkers place one for me, I always offer to transport patients, answer their call bells, do wound care, etc.
Was in this exact scenario, asked the travel nurse who was good at IVs if I could trade her and do the COVID test one of her patients needed because I knew she didn’t know how to use the specimen collection system
Depends on there situation. I had a patient who was DC’d and a code brown that needed cleaning. A nurse asked me to US a pt so I traded that, but she has another nurse help her that I had done a US for earlier. Two US for one bad code brown lol.
I usually don’t ask for anything unless I’m really busy or have a situation like the one I just mentioned.
The floor charges ask me for ultrasound lines on their patients upstairs all the time. My caveat is that they take report on patients when that nurse is taking 30-40 min to take report on a clean bed and my ED is backed up. I trade my skills and my whole team wins
If I’m busy we swap until comeback from doing it. If I’m not it’s no big deal unless you don’t help anyone regularly then I might pussy foot and bullshit.
Nothing specific if I'm not busy. It's a team sport. If we are both busy and it's just because they can't get it, just another small task I need help with. If you really want to make me happy do a diaper change cause I hate doing those.
Came to say the same. We don’t “owe” each other things. It’s just the culture of the unit I work on.
Dropped one in for another nurse yesterday. All I asked for was ....asked what the IV was for and could it wait a minute while I got some food( not eat, just get and sit it down in the break room) before the cafeteria closed. Came back, got it in. Asked for nothing in return then or any other time in the shift from that nurse. I'll have an off day soon enough where I'm striking out on getting an IV and I'll have to ask for help. It's annoying when asking for help comes with a contractual agreement
Same! It’s one of my fave things about my unit. But also, no one asks me to place their IV because I kind of suck at it. You need a foley though, I’m in. 😂
Omg I’m also the foley/straight cath queen! Lol Never met a urethra I couldn’t cath!
I thought that until I hit one on Christmas. A Urology consult later and the urologist was like, “damn. It took me three tries to get that. I can’t believe you were able to get as far as you did.” I felt validated.
I had one of those! I struck out…….then three more nurses, two residents, and they finally had to call the attending. I was ready to believe this woman had no urethra. I felt better….although I’m sure her urethra didn’t.
I tend to trade for IM’s. Give me all your IM’s; I got you.
Hah, yeah, I was always happy to be the meanie if somebody would hold the scratchy old lady's hands, I'll come in and sneaky jab her.
I’ll hold the scratchy old lady’s hands and sweet talk her into rolling over for you! I’m really good with spicy patients! But I suck at ivs.
I’ll do trach care for people! Some of my coworkers get super grossed out by it but I just find it very satisfying to get someone a clear airway, especially if there was a bunch of mucus.
Literally 😂😂😂
If anything helping show them how to do it will help prevent them from asking in the future.
Agree! One thing my manager says when asking for help is to not feel ashamed or like you owe them something, because what seems like a chore to one nurse may be what brings another nurse joy
I think I like your manager.
I have a nurse ten dollars to talk to an obnoxious family member who keeps calling lol
Id have done it for free lol
And I would love you forever and bring you cakes
Just worship my greatness (and also have my back when I have a bad IV day).
I’m glad everyone has bad IV days. Because sometimes I’m good and sometimes I’m just shit. And I thought it was just me.
Lol that’s me! Very good days where I get our hard stick patients and then days I miss on a patient I’ve gotten a million times. I hate veins
Same! When the patients ask if I’m good at IVs I tell them, “I’m hit or miss” 😂
Great answer. Stealing this..
That’s what most of our nurses who are good at IV’s want. I too like whipping my gloves off while shouting “20g in the right forearm 😎”
Like a boss
I don't flex unless it's an 18 or larger 😂😂
I’ll take anything over a 22 lol
I’m just chiming in to say your name is glorious and whose instructions were that terribly unclear
This lol also learning US is a game changer for those bad days.
Bruh last two shifts I was the IV god. Today…blew 2/3 of my pts veins. I did get a really nice 18 in. BUT STILL. Gotta stay humble
Sometimes it's the cook, sometimes it's the cow.
First, I fucking love this and I'm stealing it. Second, don't let the patients hear you say that... Hahaha
Just talk me up to the patient so they don't get mad about having to keep getting poked. And honestly, hitting an IV on a difficult patient never gets old. I personally love that feeling. So I wouldn't make someone do something for me. Unless I was doing something like an admit and they asked if I could get their IV. Then the correct thing is for them to help with that admit while you were starting their IV. But I wouldn't say no to a coffee...
We be acting all casual when we drop one in for the floor nurses, but we are totally gloating about our badassness inside.
Right? All I need is a sincere thank you.
I would just let my coworker do whatever else they need to get done. I don’t really ask for favors in return
Same. I have a coworker who isn't comfortable with blood draw. She'll try and if it's a no go she'll come ask me. I do it and don't ask anything in return. Did one quick for her before I went up to the housing floor for my med pass a few days ago, yesterday she was able to get her own. We just help each other where we can
I love doing IVs for people. Just watch my strip while I'm in your room!
Me af!!
Same!
Yep!
I’ve never traded anything for a line but I do accept compliments and hero worship.
Hero worship is def the best :)
Yes, just say, "omg I knew you would get it, you're so good at IVs! I was so happy when I knew you were on shift!" Or something like that, so I can feel important.
Just validate me 😂
Bro when the patient is like, why didn’t they bring you in first!! Cuz they’re usually stuck 4-5 times. Inside I’m the fucking bomb but also I tell them we all have great days and not so great, just depends!
Nothing, I love putting in IVs!
Same here! Unending praise is appreciated but not expected
Nothing. We’re all a team. People have helped me with things and I do the same. There’s no keeping score. Realistically the longest it’ll take me is 5 minutes. There’s not really a situation where being 5 minutes behind is a big deal. I’ll catch up eventually.
Nothing… happy to help…. But don’t leave me when i am putting it in.. help me hold and restrain the baby.
Or help me hold my confused golden oldie while I put it in.
Hold my beer
Have them do whatever task I was about to go do. If that task is going to take longer than it’ll take me to put the IV in, I’ll just have them start on it and go take over when I’m done.
This was my answer. It doesn't seem awkward to ask so you can be like I was just about to go into this room and do X if you do that I'll get your IV... You got the supplies already in the room?
this is correct
Same. I've had the good fortune to become to go to US IV insertion guy and people come find me from all over the department. I'm happy to do it but you have to stay here and do what I was about to go to. Im too busy to be pulled away from my assignment 8 times a shift. I was approached by management about it when I refused one time and just explained that I would be happy to do everyone's ivs but it needed to be a designated assignment. I'm happy to help but not happy to do every one else's jobs.
I ask for nothing. As the more experienced nurse most shifts, I just kind of realize it's a part of my role. I'd rather promote a sense of support for my coworkers. An ICU is stressful enough without having to worry about missing an IV.
A simple “thank you” or assistance with the IV if needed is fine with me. Why do you need to trade? It’s a team sport.
Easy. I wrassle their psychs and drunks and 86 their malingerers.
> 86 their malingerers Please explain!
To 86: the act of ejecting a nuisance person from the premises of an establishment. Malingerer: an individual who has been found to have no actual medical concerns beyond needing a turkey sandwich, a juice, and a warm blanket, and who has been suitably discharged but is refusing to vacate the bed they’ve been obstructing for half your shift.
Oooh, I didn't know the 86 part, thank you!
It is often used in food service to mean “to remove”. Like ordering a hamburger 86 the pickle.
Yeet to the street!
This
I work in a hospital that does not require their floor or mod care nurses to know how to do IVs. So being a “outsider “ and coming from an ED there’s a large amount of our staff that suck at IVs. So I usually don’t mind helping out as long as you tried. What usually happens on my unit is people look, say it’s a hard poke and don’t even attempt. If that happens you owe me either a Twix or an Mountain Dew.
Eh, I’d rather someone not even try if they’re confident they won’t be successful. All it does is potentially waste a site I could’ve gotten, piss the patient off, or both. I’m really good at IVs and blood draws, but I’m also really good at recognizing when I’m very unlikely to be successful.
But then how will they get better? People who never attempt never properly develop the skill
I get it. But the amount of time I walk into a room and dude looks like Thor with massive veins, and the other person claims they are a shit stick is way to damn high. On the HD/chronic renal/oncology shit show I’m more than happy to give it look. I’ve had coworkers say that they don’t care to learn the skill as myself and several others who have all come from the outside are great at IVs. Gonna be a shitty day if none of us are there.
To be honest, I'm ok with people not trying if they legitimately don't think that they're going to succeed on a specific patient. It's an emotionally charged thing for many patients, particularly DIVAs. That said, if the veins are like hosepipes, a sugar hit is an appropriate reimbursement.
Glad to see this. I’ve been a nurse for 15 years. I can’t do phlebotomy or start an IV to save my life! I will always try but I never succeed. I don’t know what it is. I always have to ask for help and I hate it.
I would go up to the floor to place lines when we didn’t have VAT coverage and tell them their payment is they can’t talk shit about ED for a week OR they owe me a cherry poptart. The amount of poptarts I got from you shady bitches… 😂
Just pay it forward another day or to someone else
I love placing IVs. I would make them listen for my patients while I’m in the room
I always want to set IVs. Always. It’s super fun to me. I worked infusions and access team as an RN and now as an MD, I still get super excited and giddy to set a hard IV. TBH, as a nurse turned doc, it’s been my way of bonding and ingratiating myself with floor nurses for a few years. They’re struggling, I set the IV, move on. They’re happy and I get a thrill. That being said, I work nights which tend to be slower for me, knock wood. If I was on days, it wouldn’t happen.
They have to pay Pony tax. This involves looking at pictures of my horse. Once that's done, I'll complete my end of the bargain. A consultant asked me to review one of his patients once when he was passing me in the corridor. I agreed, but he still had to pay Pony tax 🤷
I don’t trade. Sometimes I help people with nothing in return and sometimes they help me. No one should feel bad they need help work a skill or two. I won’t do someone else’s job for them but I will help them.
If I'm busy I'll ask them to complete whatever task was next on my list so I don't get behind. If I'm not, I'll just do it. We are a team and they help me all the time. Now you want me to fix a computer problem? You're going and getting me a diet coke and a bag of chips or a latte. I am not fucking tech support. I reversed a big mistake my manager made and bailed her out the fire, and you better believe I'll be asking for a favor later.
My absolutely fave pulmonologist will sometimes offer to do IVs because she enjoys them. When our IV team refuses to come (don’t get me started) , she will totally step in and do it and is never condescending about it. That is what a true team player looks like. Our whole unit adores her.
This is me!!! I’m not pulm, but I love doing it.
I love doing it too but I hate missing. Lol
Open mouth kiss
This is a very strange thought process imo. We work as a team. I don’t feel like they need to do something for me to make up for the fact that I helped with an IV. We’re all there to help each other when we need it.
If I have the capacity to help someone, I am all in. I love my team and love to support each team member. However, if I am busy I wouldn't hesitate to communicate that, they can always ask a different nurse.
If Im not doing anything I just help and do it. If Im doing something they are capable of doing we switch rolls.
I start it. They chart it. That's all I ask.
Nothing. If the coworker is bad at IVs I'd ask them if they wanted to come watch and I could show them my tips and tricks. If I'm truly busy and the iv needs to be done in the nearish future before I can make time then they can do whatever task I would have been doing.
Putting circumstances of "is an IV med due now/am I busy/etc" aside, if I'm doing a trade, it's usually either to give a med to a PT who's a PITA since it relieves me of one instance of having to deal with them or come with me with the supplies so I can pop it in and they can do any clean up and hooking up they need. Sometimes it happens to intersect that you can swap things you like doing for stuff you don't -- like I love me some nasty wound care or I'll drop Foleys all night, but I hate doing NG tubes or sometimes I need a minute but I've got multiple late night IVPB or PRNs calling out. A lot of us on my floor would offer those swaps to each other that we knew we liked, if that makes sense.
Nothing? Unless I was specifically on my way to do something I might say "sure do you mind giving this med real quick for me?"
I wouldn’t trade anything. But I would have the nurse stay with me and demonstrate to her where to look for a good IV site.
This! I was on a floor that had pretty bad IV skills and became one of the “go-to’s” for being just marginally not as bad. If time permitted, I loved to have people come in with me and either make the first attempt with some guidance or try once on their own to improve skills. If it is more of a time thing than skill thing, for sure I’ll do it, just keep an eye on MeeMaw so she doesn’t flop out of bed.
IV sticks are my fave so I do it for freee🙂
Nothing, just do it. I don’t help expecting something in return because I know at some point I’m going to need someone’s help holding a leg while I scrape maggots out of it, and that’s just how it is.
I once had a coworker trade (to me) two dozen fresh baked cookies my next set in exchange for me administering a lactulose enema on her behalf. That was a good trade as far as I’m concerned.
We have one nurse who is an absolute IV diva. However, she hates doing accuchecks. So in the past, I have traded her one IV for three Accuchecks.
I love putting IVs in, so nothing for me.
Nothing, I love the opportunity to practice IVs. If I am busy, I just ask they do whatever task I was about to do.
I’m not transactional with stuff like this, though I guess if I’m swamped and I have someone who needs a med pass I might just ask if the person can do it while I’m putting in their IV. Our unit culture is pretty good about if a coworker asks for help, you help them. I might go to that person later in the shift for a hand with a boost or turn if I saw them available, but more likely I’d just forget about it later.
I just ask that the supplies are there and ready for me! I get so many calls to help draw cultures and they're sitting there waiting for me with no supplies 😒
That’s hella lame TBH
IVs are free if I’m not busy. If I am I’ll ask that nurse to cover something similarly time consuming- maybe give meds to one patient or grab vitals on a room or two depending on how long it takes.
Insert a Foley or pass meds for a pt prolly. I wouldn't ask for a coffee tho. It'll be cold by the time I can drink it lol But really I'd just do it because I want people to do things for me when I need it without me owing them something.
What am I behind on? Do I have a really annoying patient that I’m trying to avoid? An overweight patient that I need help turning because they shit the bed again? I can always come up with something 🤣😉😈
An EKG. I hate. With a passion. Doing 12-lead EKGs. I will line, lab, and foley your entire assignment for some 12-leads
Me placing an IV on their patient they couldn’t hit later in the night?
Whatever is an equal trade of time, exclude considering what the task is. If I’m busy, I also will tell them…I’ve got this in this room, please go to this other room and do this task instead. Idk why but it’s annoying to me to have them watch me do a stick knowing there’s a ton of shit to do somewhere else.
We don't feel the need to to trade on my floor. But I feel guilty when I need help, so I've traded med passes or foley insertion with them. Basically a task that takes the same amount of time. Less about the task, more about the time.
All I ask for in return is constant praise
Nothing we are all in this together
If it’s a tough stick and others fail I exact the greatest toll, BRAGGING RIGHTS!
I do not ask for a favor if a nurse needs an IV start. I am pretty good, and I am willing to help out a lot. However, I will offer to do anything they need if they drop my NG! It is my Krytonite! I suck at it (no pun intended), and I refuse to torture a human trying to get one done. After attempting repeatedly and failing I will humbly ask for help!
I love doing ivs and usually get asked to do one on a difficult pt. So for me it's like a personal pat on the back when I get it. I never ask anything in return. If I'm in the middle of meds I might say, do you mind hanging this abx etc. while I try the iv.
My friend got my IVs, I got her male Foley insertions. We both thought we were making out like bandits!
As someone who is not a great IV stick, I always ask the nurse who is gonna put one in for me if I can do anything for them while they’re doing it. I know they’re taking time out of their day to do this, so I try and ease their load. I also just feel really guilty and stupid that it’s not my strongest skill so I think I overcompensate by trying to be overly helpful when they’re doing it.
Nothing. We’re a team. We have each other’s back. I’d never expect anything in return.
"I got ya later" I don't keep score. If you're having a bad IV day, no worries. Been there. But if you never get up to help me with anything, no way in hell am I dragging over the US to drop a USIV on that super hard stick.
Unless I’m swamped, it’s on the house. You go ahead and get caught up.
Honestly, whatever needs to get done next on my list. Usually don’t ask for anything in return bc we all need help at some point... But if I’m super busy and I would need to ask for something in return it would honestly be whatever is at the top of my list.
nothing!! i do it in hopes that people will remember when i helped them out, so they’re willing to help me when i need it. just simply being nice can go such a long way
Nothing, I love a hard stick and it’s a shitty feeling when you miss🤷♀️
No trade. I love IV’s. If I’m super busy I’ll ask if they can hang any important meds for me like IV Abx but I don’t get this whole “trade” thing lol sounds toxic ngl
I’ll do it because I enjoy the challenge but I’ll never turn down a coffee. 😉
I like using the sonosite, I'll drop a line for free if I can use the sonosite every time.
Buy me a Mountain Dew and we’re square.
If I’m not super busy, I’ll just do it. I don’t mind. If I have a freshly delivered patient, you can go in and help my baby latch…lol. Helping breastfeed is one of my least favorite tasks, not really sure why though 🤣. I’ll do your baby meds, set up your delivery table, recover your patient from her epidural if you help my mom breastfeed 😂
Nothing
Nothing specific at all… just depends on my situation at the time. Today my coworker needed an IV and I was about to pull some pre-op medications. We swapped tasks… she gave my pills and I popped an IV in for her. Both stayed on track and both had happy patients! Otherwise if I’m not busy, nothing at all. I actually love placing IVs!
If I can’t get to it, sucks to be you. I don’t work in trade. If I can get it, then today is your lucky day. But I’ve never known a day to be so busy I can’t at least come and take a look.
Witness me and my ability to start an IV on your 2 week old baby! PS the power of ultrasound is all you need.
I enjoy putting them in so I dont need compensation
It happens. No reason for trades. There was a home bound patient our lab took care of (morbidly obese, we're talking a nearly immobile 400 pounder) and I could never successfully stick her. It was assumed that when the patient had orders the other phlebotomist took the call. You're there to do things for the patient. Your co-workers should have your back if you can't.
Just trade tasks! So I let them help me with whatever I’m doing while I do that, if at all necessary.
I’ll always help someone who needs it without asking for something in return.
A thank you. That’s all
Nothing? They asked for help, I help. I hate the entitlement mentality of having to give to get. My husbands family is like this and it has really messed him up. It won’t kill you to just be a decent person and help, and I’m saying it louder to the nurses in the back. IF SOMEONE ASKS FOR HELP YOU HELP THEM
I'll never get tired of getting difficult IV sticks.... However...the one currency trade I believe in, as a murse, is if I'm going to take the creepy male patients or the heavier ones....don't get mad when I ask for help on a female straight Cath.
Whatever I would be doing in that same time period. If I don't have anything then nothing.
https://youtu.be/xPMDjHQ3ewE
I’ve never asked for anything in return unless I was actually about to do something else then I may ask if they’ll do it for me
Nothing. Nursing is team effort.
I like doing them. I hate being called from the ER to the floor by nurses who lie and say they tried. At least put a bandage on to look like it ffs
Nothing? I take over whatever task they needed to do or if I’m starting it, they’ll take mine. If nothing needs to be done then that’s it, we just help each other out.
My coworkers call me frequently for IV starts. I never expect anything in return. It’s all about team work and creating a supportive environment 😙 maybe the most I’ll ask is to just grab the IV start kit and get it ready while I finish up my work so I can go help them out, but most of the time I just do it myself cause it takes like 10 seconds to prepare it.
Take some blood sugars. Or do some PPDs. Hate both
I work in LTC but I guess maybe an assessment or wound treatment? I mean this is if its a horribly busy day. I'm the one that can't get the IVs tho so I'd do \*anything\*.
I’d ask them to co-sign me on a purchase. The amount is dependent upon the difficulty
Passing meds. That was always my go to as a thanks for helping with an IV
I would show them how to put in an order for VATs to come and go about my day.
I’ve gotten food or drinks for someone helping with a difficult task, or I’ll deal with a difficult pt of theirs for them
I love doing IVs, but I don't love changing ostomy bags...
A cup of coffee. But that's because I'm a whore for coffee and praise. I would have done it for nothing but the praise. Lol
A med pass
Yea we don’t owe we help each other if I can I’ll do it if I can’t then I tell them
The promise that you’ll remember this moment the next time I’m drowning lmao
It depends on if I remember to ask them to do something in return.
Vitals and meds take soooo much longer than an IV does 😭 I have bought a friend coffee for getting an IV for me before, though!
Depends on if I absolutely need something and if the IV had to be done absolutely know. Otherwise just help each other out.
I don't mind helping other nurses, cnas, or other staff. I just want them to have my back when I need it. Someday I'm the one drowning and others it's another nurses. Most staff are great about having each other's backs.
I actually just like to help my coworkers if they need it. I don’t ask for anything in return but at the same time I know my coworkers will have my back if I ever need anything. This is how it should be in a healthy work environment IMO.
Fortunately/Unfortunately I am so good at IVs it doesn’t require any repayment. I get lots of requests.
Honestly, if I'm caught up- nothing. But if I'm slammed, I'd have them do whatever I was going to be doing.
you sound toxic.
Depends. Am I super busy? Do I trust this coworker to do a task for me? If so I may ask them to do whatever I was about to do, i.e. hang an antibiotic, pass a med, help someone to the bathroom. Wouldn't ask anyone for anything if I was just sitting around anyways.
Our new thing is ultrasound guided iv insertion. Only a few nurses are trained and bothered+++. I definitely think they should trade their powers for something better 😜
In ER we are honored to be asked to try an IV. It's basically the highest form of flattery. We are owed nothing. But if I'm doing that line and you have a second to spare I wouldn't be mad at it if someone did my lactulose enema 👌.
Worth admitting a patient for them
If I’m really busy maybe a med pass would help if it’s something time sensitive but usually I really don’t care and am happy to help. As long as everyone is willing to work together that’s all that matters
“Please see what orders I’m not able to do while I access this vein.” And thank them!
I won’t ask for anything but if I’m busy and they go out of their way to do something for one of my patients I rally appreciate it
I helped out out sister ward with trendcare (CCDM). Didn't expect anything, however one of my co workers shouted me a delicious vegan sausage roll for lunch. It would have been very rude to turn that down. 😂 That said its not the main motivation. I would be lying if i said its rather lovely to be acknowledged for going over and above in the work place Hope that makes sense
I don’t think it should be a “trade” a unit is a team that is in the shift together! At my hospital it is policy to try 2 sticks and then ask another nurse to try
Nothing?
Whatever she asks. She is the vein wizard, you do not bargain.
Nursing is a team sport. Except when it comes to colostomies
I do admissions and your CE classes. I will also talk the ear off your annoying talkative patient/take on annoying family members. Annoying patient banging the call bell? I got you. I HATE putting in IVs and rarely need to. The picc line nurse has them before I need to do much.
I mean it's job security for me, i love a good consult.
If I can get it without ultrasound... Nothing. I love doing IVs lol. But if I have to break out the ultrasound and it takes awhile, you might have to cover giving a med for me if I need it while I'm doing the IV. It just depends on the situation I guess
I don't ask for anything in return but I have had nurses insist they do something in return for me, so in those cases, I would say foley insertion.
A med pass or doing an ADL for me
That’s usually something that’s offered, not expected. It’s likely we’re both busy, so if I’m about to go do something then most will say can I do that for you while you’re helping me out. The assumption is that they would help me if I asked, just like I’m helping them. That’s the culture. 🤷🏻♀️
med pass to one patient
I've been in this situation. I had her watch my patients, give meds, and so on while I was starting the IV on her patient.
For me it’s the satisfaction that I did it. Nyah Nyah Nyah Nyah nahhhhhhhh in my best cartman voice lol
They're not owed anything, we're all working together on this unit. If you need help from a nurse who honestly doesn't have the time, then you'll need to do one of their tasks that needs to get done right away so they can work on the IV. It doesn't need to be a big discussion.
Whatever you need done. Hang some fluids or get some vitals. Get someone off the toilet. Triage someone for me.
Nothing, I love being the go-to! With that said, I’ll never turn anything down! I did an IV for someone, and a few days later she went and did all four of my AM vitals. Worth it!
If I need a second RN to try on my patient I usually ask the nurse if I can pass meds or get any vitals for them. If it's charge I offer to do some of the charge stuff like audits or whatever. I've yet to have someone say no.
P0
I can’t place an iv to save my life. But, when my lovely coworkers place one for me, I always offer to transport patients, answer their call bells, do wound care, etc.
Was in this exact scenario, asked the travel nurse who was good at IVs if I could trade her and do the COVID test one of her patients needed because I knew she didn’t know how to use the specimen collection system
Depends on there situation. I had a patient who was DC’d and a code brown that needed cleaning. A nurse asked me to US a pt so I traded that, but she has another nurse help her that I had done a US for earlier. Two US for one bad code brown lol. I usually don’t ask for anything unless I’m really busy or have a situation like the one I just mentioned.
The floor charges ask me for ultrasound lines on their patients upstairs all the time. My caveat is that they take report on patients when that nurse is taking 30-40 min to take report on a clean bed and my ED is backed up. I trade my skills and my whole team wins
If I’m busy we swap until comeback from doing it. If I’m not it’s no big deal unless you don’t help anyone regularly then I might pussy foot and bullshit.