Don't Worry, I Practiced On Fruit...

Shots.  We have all had them.  Up until about six months ago, I used to turn my head because I did not want to see the needle.  When I had to get my vaccinations for nursing school, I watched the needle go into my arm.  I figured I could no longer avoid it since I would one day be the one sticking the needle into someone.

You can imagine my surprise when I learned that we give shots during our first semester of nursing school.  Yeah, we practiced on hot dogs and fake arms in class.  I was much less freaked out by needles, but it was still something strange to me.  I thought the videos we watched were traumatizing, since the nurse on the video was basically stabbing the patient with the needle.

At my last clinical, we were told that we were cleared to give shots.  As in into an actual patient and not a hot dog or fake arm.  My patient did not require any sort of medicine via a needle, so I was certain I would not be giving a shot that day.  Wrong.  The nurse I was with needed to give someone a heprin shot, so I was the lucky person that got to do it.

I walked in and the nurse was walking me through the procedure when the patient had a horrified look on her face and asked me if it were my first time to give a shot.  I told her it was but not to worry because....wait for it....I have practiced on a lot of fruit!  She looked at me like I was completely crazy, I gave her the shot and was out the door.  I have no idea why I told her fruit, maybe because hot dogs sounded less qualified???

I ended up giving to subcutaneous (into the skin on the stomach) shots that day and now officially feel like a pro!  So, if you end up in the hospital and I am your student nurse, have no fear, I have practiced on a lot of fruit!!!!