I am a Respiratory Therapy Student and I am wondering how most schools teach blood gas draws?

Question

Would we draw on each other, from dummies, or patients when we go on extern? I have a little bit of anxiety about
having my own blood drawn and would not look forward
to having my arteries poked from untrained students?

Answer 1

I'm also a Respiratory Therapist. Just like Matthew said, you will review in class how the proceedure is done, and most likely will practice on a fake arm with your instructor. We had to be able to do it successfully 5 or 6 times before we got signed off on it. The arms are alot easier than some of your real patients will be!
I think most, if not all of the schools have now moved away from the students practicing on each other. Your first real sticks will hopefully be on sedated patients.
I was nervous the first several times I did them, but now it's no big deal. You'll miss some. Everyone does. Just hang in there & you'll get it.
Arterial sticks usually hurt, and we don't like to hurt people. But just remember that what you are doing will help the Docs know what to do to treat the patients more effectively. That helped me get over the "I don't want to hurt people" jitters.
Respiratory is a great field. It's interesting, and very rewarding. Congratulations on a good decision!!!

Answer 2

I am a RT, went through school 24 years ago. Some schools have you practice on each other (mine did) but I made a huge objection. It is an invasive procedure with potential bad outcomes like nerve damage, slashing through the artery, not to mention the unnecessary PAIN, etc... by someone who's untrained? No way! When I refused, the teachers made it optional. Only one student decided to get the ABG drawn, because she was curious about how it would feel, and it was done by the PFT employee.
My very first draw was when I got my first job after passing the NBRC. A jolly fat guy who was laughing and his arm was practically bouncing off his knee, but I DID IT!! I found out that I have a knack for it and it has always been my favorite RT thing to do. It's kind of a "Zen" thing, you close your eyes, feel the pulse, become "one" with it, make sure you feel the pulse exactly at the top of your finger just behind your nail, and that's the spot... open your eyes and go for it, GENTLY. I almost never miss.
I've even had dreams about doing one on myself, lol. I just don't trust anyone else but me!
I think schools really have no business making students practice on each other, it should only be done in a real clinical setting where there are plenty of medical and legal resources if it should ever turn out badly.

Answer 3

We studied the text for indications, side effects, hazards and interpretation. Then we used a fake, practice arm to stick in the lab. Finally we went into clinical rotations. Only the clinical coordinator at each hospital could help/teach ABG sticks in the hospital. Mostly we did them on sedated patients in the ICU.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Most schools teach you how in the classroom, then when you go to hospitals to do your clinicals you will practice on real patients.