What is it with army medics?

Today I pose the question, why do Army medics always want to practice IVs on each other? I have to admit I am driven to practice on people who thought they were my friends. Is this some kind of Army phenomena? If so, what causes it? While I don't want to get carried away and I don't want any of my loyal readers to either, I think it's just to get better. This experience is my first in any kind of intensive care unit/ward. In the places I have worked before when I gave people Vi's or drew their blood it was always from the easiest vein I could find. Now I am starting to realize easiest isn't always best. If we are going to have someone with us for awhile its best to put the IV somewhere other than in the crook of their arm. You see, we have these machines you hook the IV bag up to that pump the liquid into the person at a certain speed. When a person has the IV in the crook of their arm and they bend their arm it stops the flow of fluids through that vein, and causes the machine to start beeping and it doesn't stop till someone comes to turn it off. I have had dreams about this beeping; more like nightmares! So I find the best place to put an IV is somewhere between wrist and elbow, not always an easy place. Some people have tons of veins in that area others don't have any that show.

Here we have an unsuspecting patient. Well that isn't true - he is neither unsuspecting nor a patient, but you know what I mean. He has lovely veins right there at the crook of his arm and they are so temping! But I went for one a little lower down where I wouldn't be disturbed by having to go and shut off his pump every five minutes.

So, here I am picking one of the harder veins, while of course being guided by the patient, because no medic can resist giving advice on how to stick a needle into people. Why is he wearing a head lamp you ask? We turn all the lights off so the patients can sleep - isn't that nice? So I was doing this by flashlight. I did get a successful IV on him and he got 1000 ml of fluid, so he was well hydrated. I have no pictures of me sticking a needle into him for two reasons; 1. I don't want anyone to know that I was abusing an NCO. 2. I made the officer that was taking pictures stop so I wouldn't get nervous.
So who else does IVs that works in medical in the Army? The question really is who doesn't? These days everyone that works in a hospital is expected to know how to do basic life support. That includes IVs. So while we were still in Texas I gave a little class to one of our supply guys and he managed a successful stick on one of the other guys that works in our ward.

So what is all that red stuff on his arm? Well that isn't important, what is important is that he got an IV successfully. It is also nice to know that even supply people can have the disease of wanting to stick needles into people. I think maybe some of you are wondering why wasn't I the one getting an IV in the third picture. Well to be honest some people question the existence of my veins. I will let anyone try since I have almost no nerves left in those areas, but it is often unsuccessful. I should explain to that when we are in school learning how to do all these things, we learn on each other I have quite a few scars, and no nerves. Well I hope everyone enjoys this post, and the special insight into life as a medic.