Former Pa. medic writes book on IV technique

The retired nurse and former paramedic who earned a reputation for his IV skills hopes to pass his three decades of knowledge onto others with his new book, “The Art of the IV Start”

February 17, 2015 01:18 PM

By Marcus Rauhut
Public Opinion

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — When nurses needed help giving a patient an IV line, they turned to Bob Rynecki.

Now retired, Rynecki hopes to pass on his three decades of knowledge and experience to future nurses with a book he recently published, “The Art of the IV Start.”

“For me, the goal is to continue to improve the nursing profession,” he said. “I want nurses to succeed. This is one of the most important skills they can have. It’s better for patients overall.”

Rynecki started as a paramedic, later graduating from nursing school and taking a job in the hospital’s intensive care unit. While he was at the hospital, he started to earn a reputation for his IV skills.

“Whenever there was a tough IV, they would call me,” Rynecki said. “Through the years, I’ve noticed nurses’ IV skill level has greatly diminished. Talking to new nurses coming out of school, they said they really don’t teach that skill anymore. It’s on the job training.”

Every vein is different and certain conditions can make the IV process more difficult.

In one chapter of the book, Rynecki talks about his own struggles to get an IV line in patients when he was first starting his career.

After he was able to get an IV that no one else could, he started analyzing what worked and what did not work, and he started putting the pieces together.

The idea for the book came when Rynecki was teaching his son, a nurse, how to do an IV.

“I’ve coached people and started teaching to different nurses. The more I thought about it, the more I thought I need to write some of this information down,” he said.

He has also taught microbiology at Penn State Mont Alto for 14 years.

Rynecki was named the Pennsylvania State Paramedic of the Year in 1989 for his efforts to make the Chambersburg Area Advanced Life Services a sustainable, professional organization. In 2010, he also received the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Circle of Excellence Award.

Rynecki will hold a book signing from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 19 at the Penn State Mont Alto Book Store.

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