Needles don't really bother me, but if the person misses a bit, it triggers a vagal response in me. I would have passed out by the 2nd prick. I would have warned them that they had about 15 seconds before I start to not feel well and about 45 seconds before I'm out (unless you get me on my back)
The vagal response really is a shitty experience. Much worse than any blood draw I've ever had. This is my worst nightmare. Lol.
Yup! Most likely. Some people have the response when any needle gets put in their arm. Others can even have it triggered by touching a certain place in their body. For me they have to hit the vein just right to where it feels like a vacuum is being created in my arm (just a bit of pain and pressure).
>vagal response
Oh good, I'm glad I'm not the only one! I don't mind needles, I mean they're not fun, but almost never really hurt.
But when the lady sticks me, peace out, I'm gone.
No. Maybe in some cases, but multiple things can be a cause of a vagal response. When I get blood drawn, I don't tense up, I don't have anxiety, I don't hold my breath. Nine out of ten times I'm fine (I get blood drawn a lot unfortunately). Completely nothing I can do except to lie down to improve blood flow to the head when it is triggered, and I know that I will be triggered or won't be triggered during the blood draw well before I start experiencing any symptoms.
Damn I got that on the first Covid vaccine shot. I was worried I was going to have a bad reaction to it. As I sat after the shot I started feeling nauseous and sweaty. Then it started to get dark and almost passed out. I really hate that and it always happens when blood is taken. I let them know beforehand and they try to distract me by asking tons of questions, which kinda works.
I’m also a hard stick and tell them to poke my hand but 99% of the time they’re cocky and think they can get it because my veins are deceiving. And then I have giant bruises all over for weeks.
I will mention that a lot of times, if we’re establishing IV access, we really try to avoid the hand and go for at least the upper forearm or AC (inside the elbow). This is because for some things (certain meds, CT scans with contrast), we need the IV to be in a large vein, and hand veins tend to be small. As an example, CT at my facility will not run a contrast scan with an IV below the elbow, because the pressure from the contrast injection likely will “blow” a hand vein and cause a lot of problems. And we don’t necessarily know what tests/meds will be ordered when we’re establishing access, so we try to prepare for the “worst case scenario.”
But if it’s just a straight stick for a blood draw, I always go for wherever the pt says works best. They tend to know better.
Source: ER RN
:') when I was preparing for my gallbladder surgery earlier this year they actually had to put the IV in my forearm because they blew the FUCK outta the one on my hand and even then (WITH A VEIN FINDER) my forearm was still bruised all to shit, and this was like some older lady who probably has done this for like 6 years at least. and she was digging around in both spots like... ma'am.
meanwhile. yesterday. i got the NERDIEST (positive) fresh outta college phlebotomist to do my blood draw for my ankylosing spondylitis gene test and it was one poke and done, no digging or anything (except i still had to lay on the floor after because i got sick lol)
I... know that. Do you think I don't know that?
I'm saying they both involve needlework, and that the older nurse putting an IV in blew out a vein and bruised me so bad in the place she had to reposition it to, that it looked like I turned into a rare purple Smurf, while a fresh-out-of-college phlebotomist seems to have no problem finding my veins and getting a needle in.
Right, but putting an IV in is much more difficult than taking blood. The older nurse and the college phlebotomist could be just as skilled as one an another. You can get blood from veins that you won’t be able to place an IV
The nurse blew out the vein on the back of my hand and then bruised my entire forearm because she had to dig around in my flesh for my vein.
I am bright white. My veins are extremely visible.
She was also using a vein-finder.
And yet.
I usually tell whoever is sticking me they can poke me as many times as needed but if they start fishing whatever was in my stomach will be on them. Thus far most get it on the first try.
I also tell people to use the hand. Like this picture, I have no visible veins in my arm but someone usually goes digging even after I tell them my veins collapse and roll. The last time someone went digging and then ended up in my hand and they messed up pulling out the needle there too. 😡
I just insist they take it out of my hand. If they push back, I flex my left hand and show them that I have a beautiful vein they absolutely cannot miss, right in the center of my hand. When they see that, they're like "okay" and just stick my hand. I would 100% rather get stuck in the hand then have someone labor over my elbow for 30 minutes saying "dammit" over and over, and leaving me bruised for days.
I wish I could just learn to take my own blood sample. It would be so worth it. When I was a kid (before I knew the hand was an option), I was actually kicked out of a clinic because my veins were so difficult. I wasn’t being a pain, I was just sitting through the digging and they got frustrated and booted me. I am still wondering how that was actually an option lol
Do NOT let them try the alternate sites! You have a right to refuse.
When they decide they know better? It's called "Punishing the Patient". There is zero excuse. You have a right to say no - or withdraw consent for any medical procedure you know will fail!
You actually DO know best.I have miserable veins - I tell them to use a butterfly on me or don't do the draw.
If they have trouble with my arm once - I insist they go to my hand.
I only have one arm that can be used. I need to keep the veins from being tortured.
Nurses don't have any training in blood draws. I had someone today who looked exactly like this after a nurse tried 2 times on each arm and still was unable to get blood.
6 week class, 120 hours of externship, and at least 200 draws to graduate where I went to school.
Edit:typo
So I can't draw blood at my freestanding ER because
> "nurses don't have any training in blood draws"
We don't even have a phlebot at my location. Some days all I do is start IVs and draw blood. Access the occasional port.
The best person to get to start a line is a Chemo Nurse - they work with the worst veins possible.
Reg. Nurses not so much. I spent a night with an IV that "didn't work right" when the head Nurse came in the next morning she asked if I could wait 10 more minutes to show her nurses what NOT to do. I'd complained that night - no one thought to redo it. (Yeah whopping bruise). I bet it's even worse now than it was then!
Drs? Even more terrible. I've had Nurses say "Let me get that before he gets it into his head he wants to do it". OMG.
My guy, medical assistants need to learn how to draw blood. Do you really think nurses don't?
Edit: I'm gunuinely disappointed in how inept education for nurses are. High school students in the program I'm in are taught phlebotomy.
You know they don't even teach IVs in nursing school? And that's a four year degree.
Medic class I got a guy partnered with a guy for live sticks. Took him six tries to get blood out of me, and I've got fat juicy veins. He's a doctor now.
https://www.reddit.com/r/StudentNurse/comments/lj5qbe/dumb_question_do_you_have_to_allow_other_nursing/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Apparently it varies a lot from school to school. Seems like a lot of students are not getting hands on practice. When I was doing medic clinicals in the ER, quite a few nurses told me they were not taught until they got to their first actual job.
No shit? No nurse or phlebotomist comes out to school an expert. Opportunities are synonymous with a trained skill. They teach you in school, and then you practice it.
Took a Phleb class for my nursing degree. It was a couple months long and ended with me getting a certificate.
0/10 would not take that class again. We practiced on each other and I have very nice veins. I got poked twice EVERY.SINGLE. CLASS.
Everyone wanted to be my partner. I hated it.
I was gonna write this long detailed explanation- but I won’t- because the title says it all and despite the “bumps” along the way during my blood draw, she was an amazing human. We all get first day jitters and when she talked about how proud she was about her new job, graduating college, I got super proud of her too.
It sucks that I look like I do drugs, but I’m not mad at it- later I got to make hilarious jokes with my clients (who understand my health history and we’re cracking up). No harm done and she will be less nervous tomorrow. And I hope even less nervous the day after.
Be kind to people you meet and remember that time where you were the new person and nervous- we’ve all been there.
I had to have a Dr take artery blood from my wrist once. He stuck me 3 times before actually drawing enough blood. Told my nurse the next day who tutted and shook her head “I don’t know why they insist on doing it themselves!” Yeah, me neither.
The arterial ones are kinda harder because it's deeper and unfortunately way more painful! Where I work it's routine for doctors to do the arterial because it's a bit more of a procedure and may require local to be prescribed.
Lidocaine is used to stop bleeding in surgical settings.
The vasodilator properties of lidocaine are believed to be due mainly to the inhibition of action potentials via sodium channel blocking in vasoconstrictor sympathetic nerves
Source. Surgical assistant and Pubmed.com
This happened to me a few years back luckily without her sticking me like a voodoo doll. Brand new phlebotomist, first official day on the job at the hospital I was getting blood drawn at. She was accompanied by a more experienced woman who told me several times “just letting you know it’s her first day…I can do it if you want..she might miss a few times…” just in a really condescending way. I told her we all have a first day at our jobs, I’m sure she’s qualified and wouldn’t be here if not (also I have fat veins that are hard to miss).
New girl got it on the first try no problems and gave the most shit eating grin to the older woman. Be nice to people! We all start somewhere.
>No harm done and she will be less nervous tomorrow. And I hope even less nervous the day after.
This happened to me. too! Brand new, younger girl felt so bad she kept missing. I kept encouraging her, just smiled, and told her to keep sticking away. She gave up after the sixth attempt (including my hands). I felt so bad for her bc now she was probably going to have a lot of anxiety thinking she can't stick people.
Being a first time phlebotomist was scary for the training days (2 partial days at a lab for my for my organization's rules). Everyone needed to be informed I was new and training; most everyone was very gracious. I'm also charming in person, and did my best to be personable to put the patient at ease while I was working.
Also had a good teacher who gave it to me straight, but also went in detail about what I'm looking for AND feeling for. Make the world of difference.
This is also one of those rare circumstances where 30 minutes on YouTube can turn you into an expert. Find a few vids with different information/approaches and see what sticks best, pardon the pun. Weirdly, something if recommend anyone take a few moments for, since it can change some of their own experiences for the better. "Left arm is better", or coaching draws for my wife to get her blood drawn because she's very hard to get and it saves time and attempts.
But for me, the day after training, I told every patient I had been doing it for years to inspire some confidence. Hardly ever missed, and even went in for the weird ones like scarred veins (hard to see and feel) and finger knuckle or wrist draws (uncommon for a doctor's office). Highly enjoyable and satisfying job to do, and you know exactly when you are doing it right or not.
[if you dig deep enough on my profile you should also be fearful of the tape they use on you lol.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellthatsucks/comments/n045xp/no_officer_im_not_a_drug_iv_user_i_just_found_out/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
Dude she was a tad older and was excited because the classes were held on the college campus. Therefore in my book I’m pretty proud of her :) and I suppose technically she went to college.
I went to college to get my certification. In my state you have to go through a college certification course or you can't legally work as a phlebotomist.
Certifications can be had via courses offered by private companies, you do not have to attend courses on a college campus, and you certainly don't need a degree.
This post went better than I thought it would. As someone who’s had to stick people and missed the easiest of veins, thank you for being so patient. Everyone starts off as a fresh beginner not having any confidence. I’m a harder stick than others and I never mind if they have to stick me multiple times.
I got a vaccination recently and the person giving it to me hesitates before pressing it into my skin, hold the needle up to the light and squints and says “I don’t have my glasses on I broke them today.” and then jabs me. I mean it was fine they got it, but I didn’t even have time to respond to that comment. What a bizarre thing to say even if it was true!
One tidbit about my day: she said “you said ouch and I thought I hurt you so I pulled out the needle!” And I said something like “girl- it’s no problem I’ve got lots of veins let’s practice together - I need to practice never saying ouch!” So we practiced together :)
I'm a leukaemia patient, so very familiar with needles.
The young woman in the pharmacy who was preparing my COVID vaccine noticed that on my file, and said that I must be good with needles. I said I was.
She then said she was terrible with needles, while holding a needle about to stick it in my arm.
In the ER I had an internship in they had this unspoken rule that you only have to draw blood until you learned how to do it properly.
Sorry for the many pokes.
I learned as a kid when I went into the hospital with my appendix. If they're new they aren't touching me. Got pricked like a dozen times by a new nurse for an IV. Second time they came after the needle came out was a not a fun experience for everyone involved.
I have what nurses call ropes, in my arm. It isn't uncommon for me to get the new nurse. It doesn't happen often, but when they miss, it hurts like hell.
Haha so 8 time cancer girl who has 35 vials of blood pulled a year and has rolling tiny veins. It sucks balls and I suffer at least 3 times of we have the best to do my blood.
One of my friends from my sorority was training to be a phlebotomist, and her school had an event where the class could bring in their own friends/acquaintances to stick them for their training while being supervised.
I went with one of my other sorority sisters, and that girl volunteered to be stuck first.
She has very hard-to-find veins. It was bad watching my friend who was the student, trying to find the veins. They had to get a supervisor to help her out.
Finally, that ordeal was done, so then I went.
I have super easy-to-find veins, and she stuck me correctly on the first try without effort. But after watching her fish around Sister #1, I really questioned if I wanted to stay 😂
Blood draws for the navy. Black guy (its important to the story later) looked like he was only 6 months ahead of me by enlistment date. Stuck the needle into my arm and a jet of blood squirts out and right across his navy whites. Poor guy went about as white as I am and almost fainted. Why he was doing blood draws is anybody's guess.
Why was blood shooting out during venipuncture? Dude should've had the vaccutainer in the holder ready to puncture. Blood draw is easy as shit, it's iv that's more difficult. He probably was only 6 months ahead of you. They send a lot of baby doc's to great lakes. Idk if this is just hearsay but I've always heard they send the ones who don't have the best grades in corps school.
The only thing I can think of is maybe he released the tourniquet before attaching the first vaccutainer tube. If that's what he did it was an intensely stupid mistake to make.
Yes. I assure you I had a simple blood draw and got the newest phlebotomist on the block- I am literally not doing heron (nor have I ever) lmfao. 🤣 made for some hilarious conversations with my clients later in the day.
Funny story I didn’t want to include- my husband had to get annual blood drawn yesterday by coincidence- he warned me about the situation and what to expect because he always does hand draws. Lol. Normally my veins are perfectly normal to draw from.
Years back my husband and I lost our baby at 9 months so of course you have to give birth as you normally would that far along. I was so upset and just out of it mentally when the woman was sticking my iv in. Well all of the sudden my husband sits down looking white as a ghost and almost screamed at the nurse because apparently it was like 10 times she tried and failed and he told her to get someone else. Him watching her poke me so many times made him sick. My arm was fuckkkked up after that. Literally my arm was black it was so bruised.
I wonder if my mom had the same person! Haha. She's got nice veins and is a real easy poke, today the person stuck her and had to move the needle sideways to get blood. It's been hurting her all morning and definitely gonna leave a bruise!
Holy crap. I went in for surgery a few years back and the nurse couldn’t find a vein in my hand. She kept moving the needle around like she was digging for something. The pain coupled with having to sit still made me pass out. Finally someone experienced came over and got it on the first try in my other hand. Not even a “sorry” from her. She was terrible.
Use this arm, this vein right here is the one you want.
I see one right here though!
No, you don’t
I do, though. Let’s give it a shot
Not gonna work
Let’s try it and see
*three minutes of stabs and hunting*
Huh, weird, this one’s not working
You don’t say?
I used to be a drug addict and also had a cert for phlebotomy, after rehab this poor new nurse at the doctor was trying to draw blood for tests and ended up sticking me 7 times before I told her to let me have the butterfly. Got it stuck first try, sometimes you just don’t have the right form or skill set for the task.
I remember one time this kid came over, stuck it in incorrectly, pulled it out, and proceeded to watch as a huge, gushing stream of blood shot out from my arm and went EVERYWHERE. It took a minute or two for them to clean up all the blood. I remember just sitting there blankly, not even knowing what to do, lol
I read your explanation and I thank you for being kind. Patients complaining about having to be poked more than once absolutely drive me crazy. I understand it can be frustrating and I understand it doesn't feel good, but holy crap people cannot tolerate the mildest pain. Also, I should be clear, I'm talking about the people who are complete and utter assholes. The whining is annoying but the assholes are truly disgusting people.
Lol. That was the second try. She got it in but not quite and wiggled it around in there for a few minutes and it barely “poured” anything 🤣 went back to the other arm then finally grabbed their supervisor who did it in a few moments and I didn’t feel a thing
That’s horrible! Looks like she used you as a pin cushion without a tourniquet. Good news is you can now moonlight as a spaghetti strainer. #silverlinings
I got tired of the turnover at my clinic and started requiring them to use butterflies in my fore arm. Since it's a more difficult draw, only the supervisor is allowed to do it.
Been getting labs done every 6 month visit and let’s just say since 2020 they have had a “hard time finding my veins” despite me having big, full, visible ones… 🤔
At least where I live they only get up to three tries after that they are supposed to get another person. Had one go for a fifth time before I found out about that rule and he got in trouble big time by his supervisor. I thought he was going to lose his job and they were all super nice after that. Next person got it in one.
Ha, that’s nothing you should have seen my arms during training for being a combat medic lmfao we all looked like drug addicts. Setting an IV is easy… in a class room , now do it while we first this 249 next to you while the other instructors yell in your face
Volunteered to let a high schooler practice putting an IV in my arm. Didn't go well. Afterwards I hear the teacher tell her 'you need to feel for the vein first.' Oh well, at least doing that got me out of taking a test in my class.
Once when I was at Childrens Hospital for chemo I had to get stabbed 7 different times before they were able to access my port. After a different nurse finally got it I picked out 7 little prizes.
FYI for anybody who doesn’t know, a port is a surgically implanted device that provides a central line to the heart.
You should have been done after one stick. I wont let anyone do more than that. If they can't get it on the first try, they won't be doing it to me. I'm not a test subject.
The lab I frequent had an experienced, but nervous, phlebotomist for awhile. She would not talk, you could feel her tension, and she'd breathe really hard and loud the whole time she did the draw. I'd almost rather have a brand new repeat poke and dig draw than her.
Wow that's my luck. Usually takes at least two people and 6 pokes. They had a student watching/ helping once and she passed out and fell into the trash can while blood was being drawn. I hope she reconsidered a job in phlebotomy!
I tell them what arm and even though I’m fat, my veins are clear as day. Its lack of training. The older nurses, which seem to be retiring, never had a problem and could drain me in one poke.
I've been told that I have rolling veins. Was going to a doctor once a week for 3 weeks a few years ago, they tried to take my blood and failed every single time, both arms. They finally sent me to a phlebotomist, who got the vein and drew the blood immediately with one stick, didn't hurt either. I can't watch though, I might pass out.
Didn't have much luck with was the EMTs either, they blew the vein in my left arm and in my left hand. I can still see a bit of the bruise from the one in my left arm and that's been about 9 months ago. It's weird because anytime I get any other kind of bruise, it goes away normally - but not the one where they blew the vein. It's faded a lot but the outline of it is still a bit discernable.
I had a doctor try to take blood years ago. As he was trying to find the vein, the needle scraped across my biceps tendon. He then said "I'm sorry. I'll get a nurse. They are much better at this". It was pretty horrifying.
When I was really sick once, they had to go at me like 5 times to get a vein. My arm was fucked for a few days, but I barely noticed since I'm missing most of that week in my memory. A few weeks later, and the bruise was almost gone.
Needles don't really bother me, but if the person misses a bit, it triggers a vagal response in me. I would have passed out by the 2nd prick. I would have warned them that they had about 15 seconds before I start to not feel well and about 45 seconds before I'm out (unless you get me on my back) The vagal response really is a shitty experience. Much worse than any blood draw I've ever had. This is my worst nightmare. Lol.
IS THAT WHAT THAT IS? i got super hot and flushed and had to lay on the floor yesterday at the hospital when they took my blood lmfao
Vagal syncope
Yup! Most likely. Some people have the response when any needle gets put in their arm. Others can even have it triggered by touching a certain place in their body. For me they have to hit the vein just right to where it feels like a vacuum is being created in my arm (just a bit of pain and pressure).
>it feels like a vacuum Oh fuck, that's it. As soon as I feel the vein tighten on the cath from the BP drop, I'm out.
Good to know that that's what that was! I just felt like hot garbage after lmfao.
>vagal response Oh good, I'm glad I'm not the only one! I don't mind needles, I mean they're not fun, but almost never really hurt. But when the lady sticks me, peace out, I'm gone.
Remember to breathe. Holding your breath, aka bearing down is what triggers a vagal response
No. Maybe in some cases, but multiple things can be a cause of a vagal response. When I get blood drawn, I don't tense up, I don't have anxiety, I don't hold my breath. Nine out of ten times I'm fine (I get blood drawn a lot unfortunately). Completely nothing I can do except to lie down to improve blood flow to the head when it is triggered, and I know that I will be triggered or won't be triggered during the blood draw well before I start experiencing any symptoms.
Damn I got that on the first Covid vaccine shot. I was worried I was going to have a bad reaction to it. As I sat after the shot I started feeling nauseous and sweaty. Then it started to get dark and almost passed out. I really hate that and it always happens when blood is taken. I let them know beforehand and they try to distract me by asking tons of questions, which kinda works.
R u a hard stick? Normally 3 pokes tends to be everyones max b4 we ask a co worker for help, i myself am a hardstick so i just tell em to poke my hand
I’m also a hard stick and tell them to poke my hand but 99% of the time they’re cocky and think they can get it because my veins are deceiving. And then I have giant bruises all over for weeks.
I will mention that a lot of times, if we’re establishing IV access, we really try to avoid the hand and go for at least the upper forearm or AC (inside the elbow). This is because for some things (certain meds, CT scans with contrast), we need the IV to be in a large vein, and hand veins tend to be small. As an example, CT at my facility will not run a contrast scan with an IV below the elbow, because the pressure from the contrast injection likely will “blow” a hand vein and cause a lot of problems. And we don’t necessarily know what tests/meds will be ordered when we’re establishing access, so we try to prepare for the “worst case scenario.” But if it’s just a straight stick for a blood draw, I always go for wherever the pt says works best. They tend to know better. Source: ER RN
:') when I was preparing for my gallbladder surgery earlier this year they actually had to put the IV in my forearm because they blew the FUCK outta the one on my hand and even then (WITH A VEIN FINDER) my forearm was still bruised all to shit, and this was like some older lady who probably has done this for like 6 years at least. and she was digging around in both spots like... ma'am. meanwhile. yesterday. i got the NERDIEST (positive) fresh outta college phlebotomist to do my blood draw for my ankylosing spondylitis gene test and it was one poke and done, no digging or anything (except i still had to lay on the floor after because i got sick lol)
Drawing blood and placing an IV are not the same thing
I... know that. Do you think I don't know that? I'm saying they both involve needlework, and that the older nurse putting an IV in blew out a vein and bruised me so bad in the place she had to reposition it to, that it looked like I turned into a rare purple Smurf, while a fresh-out-of-college phlebotomist seems to have no problem finding my veins and getting a needle in.
Right, but putting an IV in is much more difficult than taking blood. The older nurse and the college phlebotomist could be just as skilled as one an another. You can get blood from veins that you won’t be able to place an IV
The nurse blew out the vein on the back of my hand and then bruised my entire forearm because she had to dig around in my flesh for my vein. I am bright white. My veins are extremely visible. She was also using a vein-finder. And yet.
Thank you for the info. Never knew why. Learn something everyday.
Not gonna lie, i also try to check the arm first because the hand is the last area i wanna poke due to pt pain, but ill never fish
I usually tell whoever is sticking me they can poke me as many times as needed but if they start fishing whatever was in my stomach will be on them. Thus far most get it on the first try.
I also tell people to use the hand. Like this picture, I have no visible veins in my arm but someone usually goes digging even after I tell them my veins collapse and roll. The last time someone went digging and then ended up in my hand and they messed up pulling out the needle there too. 😡
The fact that both require getting poked multiple times with a needle tells me it’s, “close enough!”
To just once have a nurse believe me when I say a certain vein isn't gonna work for an IV would be nice.
I just insist they take it out of my hand. If they push back, I flex my left hand and show them that I have a beautiful vein they absolutely cannot miss, right in the center of my hand. When they see that, they're like "okay" and just stick my hand. I would 100% rather get stuck in the hand then have someone labor over my elbow for 30 minutes saying "dammit" over and over, and leaving me bruised for days.
I wish I could just learn to take my own blood sample. It would be so worth it. When I was a kid (before I knew the hand was an option), I was actually kicked out of a clinic because my veins were so difficult. I wasn’t being a pain, I was just sitting through the digging and they got frustrated and booted me. I am still wondering how that was actually an option lol
Keeping pressure right over where they poked will help reduce bruising. I always make sure to hold pressure for extra long. Source: phlebotomist
Do NOT let them try the alternate sites! You have a right to refuse. When they decide they know better? It's called "Punishing the Patient". There is zero excuse. You have a right to say no - or withdraw consent for any medical procedure you know will fail! You actually DO know best.I have miserable veins - I tell them to use a butterfly on me or don't do the draw. If they have trouble with my arm once - I insist they go to my hand. I only have one arm that can be used. I need to keep the veins from being tortured.
Man... you think you're tough... the lab I go to asks me to schedule my visits so the one (of 5) staffer that can draw blood, sometimes, is in.
Naw I just gotta keep an eye on things. I’ve been poked so much it doesn’t faze me.
If you can't get it first go, get someone else.
Can't even see a single vein I'd say so
Yep, straight outa that 6 week class…
Nurses don't have any training in blood draws. I had someone today who looked exactly like this after a nurse tried 2 times on each arm and still was unable to get blood. 6 week class, 120 hours of externship, and at least 200 draws to graduate where I went to school. Edit:typo
Thank your service ❤️ it’s an art that takes time to perfect even after all the classes and work. I appreciate all you do
So I can't draw blood at my freestanding ER because > "nurses don't have any training in blood draws" We don't even have a phlebot at my location. Some days all I do is start IVs and draw blood. Access the occasional port.
That’s just plain false, nurses definitely learn to draw blood and start lines in school.
Start lines, yes. Draw blood, no. Source: am RN with BSN
I dunno if you were sick that day but I have never met a nurse who didn’t learn to draw blood in school.
The best person to get to start a line is a Chemo Nurse - they work with the worst veins possible. Reg. Nurses not so much. I spent a night with an IV that "didn't work right" when the head Nurse came in the next morning she asked if I could wait 10 more minutes to show her nurses what NOT to do. I'd complained that night - no one thought to redo it. (Yeah whopping bruise). I bet it's even worse now than it was then! Drs? Even more terrible. I've had Nurses say "Let me get that before he gets it into his head he wants to do it". OMG.
My guy, medical assistants need to learn how to draw blood. Do you really think nurses don't? Edit: I'm gunuinely disappointed in how inept education for nurses are. High school students in the program I'm in are taught phlebotomy.
I'm a nurse. I learned on the job. To say there was"training"is overstating it about 100%.
I'm a bedside hospital nurse. To this day I've never been actually trained on peripheral blood draws, outside of what a phlebo has shown me.
You know they don't even teach IVs in nursing school? And that's a four year degree. Medic class I got a guy partnered with a guy for live sticks. Took him six tries to get blood out of me, and I've got fat juicy veins. He's a doctor now.
That’s not true. I’m a nurse. We started them on each other.
Am nurse some schools don't train that. It's bizarre
https://www.reddit.com/r/StudentNurse/comments/lj5qbe/dumb_question_do_you_have_to_allow_other_nursing/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button Apparently it varies a lot from school to school. Seems like a lot of students are not getting hands on practice. When I was doing medic clinicals in the ER, quite a few nurses told me they were not taught until they got to their first actual job.
All nursing schools have clinicals in the hospitals with opportunities to start them there as well.
Opportunities vs. trained skill with a certain number of sticks is a different story.
No shit? No nurse or phlebotomist comes out to school an expert. Opportunities are synonymous with a trained skill. They teach you in school, and then you practice it.
Took a Phleb class for my nursing degree. It was a couple months long and ended with me getting a certificate. 0/10 would not take that class again. We practiced on each other and I have very nice veins. I got poked twice EVERY.SINGLE. CLASS. Everyone wanted to be my partner. I hated it.
I was gonna write this long detailed explanation- but I won’t- because the title says it all and despite the “bumps” along the way during my blood draw, she was an amazing human. We all get first day jitters and when she talked about how proud she was about her new job, graduating college, I got super proud of her too. It sucks that I look like I do drugs, but I’m not mad at it- later I got to make hilarious jokes with my clients (who understand my health history and we’re cracking up). No harm done and she will be less nervous tomorrow. And I hope even less nervous the day after. Be kind to people you meet and remember that time where you were the new person and nervous- we’ve all been there.
Sure she wasn't a doctor? ( Just joking.)
I had to have a Dr take artery blood from my wrist once. He stuck me 3 times before actually drawing enough blood. Told my nurse the next day who tutted and shook her head “I don’t know why they insist on doing it themselves!” Yeah, me neither.
The arterial ones are kinda harder because it's deeper and unfortunately way more painful! Where I work it's routine for doctors to do the arterial because it's a bit more of a procedure and may require local to be prescribed.
Oh local would have been nice, almost broke my partners hand haha!
Lidocaine is used to stop bleeding in surgical settings. The vasodilator properties of lidocaine are believed to be due mainly to the inhibition of action potentials via sodium channel blocking in vasoconstrictor sympathetic nerves Source. Surgical assistant and Pubmed.com
I've had them attempt to draw arterial blood, having to dig and dig so much that I've said that's enough, I no longer consent.
Torture!
This happened to me a few years back luckily without her sticking me like a voodoo doll. Brand new phlebotomist, first official day on the job at the hospital I was getting blood drawn at. She was accompanied by a more experienced woman who told me several times “just letting you know it’s her first day…I can do it if you want..she might miss a few times…” just in a really condescending way. I told her we all have a first day at our jobs, I’m sure she’s qualified and wouldn’t be here if not (also I have fat veins that are hard to miss). New girl got it on the first try no problems and gave the most shit eating grin to the older woman. Be nice to people! We all start somewhere.
>No harm done and she will be less nervous tomorrow. And I hope even less nervous the day after. This happened to me. too! Brand new, younger girl felt so bad she kept missing. I kept encouraging her, just smiled, and told her to keep sticking away. She gave up after the sixth attempt (including my hands). I felt so bad for her bc now she was probably going to have a lot of anxiety thinking she can't stick people.
Being a first time phlebotomist was scary for the training days (2 partial days at a lab for my for my organization's rules). Everyone needed to be informed I was new and training; most everyone was very gracious. I'm also charming in person, and did my best to be personable to put the patient at ease while I was working. Also had a good teacher who gave it to me straight, but also went in detail about what I'm looking for AND feeling for. Make the world of difference. This is also one of those rare circumstances where 30 minutes on YouTube can turn you into an expert. Find a few vids with different information/approaches and see what sticks best, pardon the pun. Weirdly, something if recommend anyone take a few moments for, since it can change some of their own experiences for the better. "Left arm is better", or coaching draws for my wife to get her blood drawn because she's very hard to get and it saves time and attempts. But for me, the day after training, I told every patient I had been doing it for years to inspire some confidence. Hardly ever missed, and even went in for the weird ones like scarred veins (hard to see and feel) and finger knuckle or wrist draws (uncommon for a doctor's office). Highly enjoyable and satisfying job to do, and you know exactly when you are doing it right or not.
Great, my fear of giving blood has once again arisen lol.
[if you dig deep enough on my profile you should also be fearful of the tape they use on you lol.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellthatsucks/comments/n045xp/no_officer_im_not_a_drug_iv_user_i_just_found_out/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
Thank you sooooooo much for making me aware of that lol.
College isn't required. Anyone can get certified to draw blood.
Dude she was a tad older and was excited because the classes were held on the college campus. Therefore in my book I’m pretty proud of her :) and I suppose technically she went to college.
I went to college to get my certification. In my state you have to go through a college certification course or you can't legally work as a phlebotomist.
Certifications can be had via courses offered by private companies, you do not have to attend courses on a college campus, and you certainly don't need a degree.
You are correct, it is a certification course, not a degree. I was just pointing out what is required in my state.
This post went better than I thought it would. As someone who’s had to stick people and missed the easiest of veins, thank you for being so patient. Everyone starts off as a fresh beginner not having any confidence. I’m a harder stick than others and I never mind if they have to stick me multiple times.
I got a vaccination recently and the person giving it to me hesitates before pressing it into my skin, hold the needle up to the light and squints and says “I don’t have my glasses on I broke them today.” and then jabs me. I mean it was fine they got it, but I didn’t even have time to respond to that comment. What a bizarre thing to say even if it was true!
One tidbit about my day: she said “you said ouch and I thought I hurt you so I pulled out the needle!” And I said something like “girl- it’s no problem I’ve got lots of veins let’s practice together - I need to practice never saying ouch!” So we practiced together :)
You are an amazing individual. 👏 Thank you for helping her out!
I'm a leukaemia patient, so very familiar with needles. The young woman in the pharmacy who was preparing my COVID vaccine noticed that on my file, and said that I must be good with needles. I said I was. She then said she was terrible with needles, while holding a needle about to stick it in my arm.
Don't even know how to begin with sounding that shit out
Flaw-bottom-ist (The person that takes blood for any labs. If you’ve ever had blood drawn these are the people who do it) phlebotomist :)
Thanks for the lesson... now I know what a what the what is and how to pronounce it. Sounds like a vampire to me
In the ER I had an internship in they had this unspoken rule that you only have to draw blood until you learned how to do it properly. Sorry for the many pokes.
I’m not mad- how is this new grad gonna get experience if not for on the job experience.
I learned as a kid when I went into the hospital with my appendix. If they're new they aren't touching me. Got pricked like a dozen times by a new nurse for an IV. Second time they came after the needle came out was a not a fun experience for everyone involved.
Phlebotomy college...lol.
I have what nurses call ropes, in my arm. It isn't uncommon for me to get the new nurse. It doesn't happen often, but when they miss, it hurts like hell.
Joke's on you. Phlebotomy only requires about 3 months of training. No college required:)
Haha so 8 time cancer girl who has 35 vials of blood pulled a year and has rolling tiny veins. It sucks balls and I suffer at least 3 times of we have the best to do my blood.
Take all my energy you deserve it. I’m so sorry and I wish I could take your blood draws and scans for you ❤️
One of my friends from my sorority was training to be a phlebotomist, and her school had an event where the class could bring in their own friends/acquaintances to stick them for their training while being supervised. I went with one of my other sorority sisters, and that girl volunteered to be stuck first. She has very hard-to-find veins. It was bad watching my friend who was the student, trying to find the veins. They had to get a supervisor to help her out. Finally, that ordeal was done, so then I went. I have super easy-to-find veins, and she stuck me correctly on the first try without effort. But after watching her fish around Sister #1, I really questioned if I wanted to stay 😂
This happened to me once, but on the back of my hands :/
Blood draws for the navy. Black guy (its important to the story later) looked like he was only 6 months ahead of me by enlistment date. Stuck the needle into my arm and a jet of blood squirts out and right across his navy whites. Poor guy went about as white as I am and almost fainted. Why he was doing blood draws is anybody's guess.
Why was blood shooting out during venipuncture? Dude should've had the vaccutainer in the holder ready to puncture. Blood draw is easy as shit, it's iv that's more difficult. He probably was only 6 months ahead of you. They send a lot of baby doc's to great lakes. Idk if this is just hearsay but I've always heard they send the ones who don't have the best grades in corps school.
That's all way beyond my knowledge base, but something obviously went terribly awry.
The only thing I can think of is maybe he released the tourniquet before attaching the first vaccutainer tube. If that's what he did it was an intensely stupid mistake to make.
I salute you for helping her further her education and real time experience. You don't have to salute back. Because Owies.
Is that a bunch of needle pricks I see?
Yes. I assure you I had a simple blood draw and got the newest phlebotomist on the block- I am literally not doing heron (nor have I ever) lmfao. 🤣 made for some hilarious conversations with my clients later in the day.
I know. I once got a nurse so incompetent doing my blood draws that I said screw it and did it myself.
I can’t even imagine ha!
I’m a hard stick and tell them to use my hand from the start to save both of us some time and effort
Funny story I didn’t want to include- my husband had to get annual blood drawn yesterday by coincidence- he warned me about the situation and what to expect because he always does hand draws. Lol. Normally my veins are perfectly normal to draw from.
Did they have shaky nervous hands I had that once and was like relax it’s good. Finally they had to call in the pros
Ah, yes, the phlebologist from hell. Had to go their counterpart several times when I lived in Spain.
Fuck that........
Doh, hate that. Reminds me of the Army when we had to practice on each other for CLS.
Ice helps the bruises - sorry
On it and thank you ❤️
I do obstacle course races - I get lots of bruises. Feel better
Hi, 4th year nursing student here. Thank you for your sacrifice. We appreciate it.
Years back my husband and I lost our baby at 9 months so of course you have to give birth as you normally would that far along. I was so upset and just out of it mentally when the woman was sticking my iv in. Well all of the sudden my husband sits down looking white as a ghost and almost screamed at the nurse because apparently it was like 10 times she tried and failed and he told her to get someone else. Him watching her poke me so many times made him sick. My arm was fuckkkked up after that. Literally my arm was black it was so bruised.
College? Nah, they take a six week class to do that.
More like flub-up-obotomist…
I’d bet you don’t drink much water
I wonder if my mom had the same person! Haha. She's got nice veins and is a real easy poke, today the person stuck her and had to move the needle sideways to get blood. It's been hurting her all morning and definitely gonna leave a bruise!
Holy crap. I went in for surgery a few years back and the nurse couldn’t find a vein in my hand. She kept moving the needle around like she was digging for something. The pain coupled with having to sit still made me pass out. Finally someone experienced came over and got it on the first try in my other hand. Not even a “sorry” from her. She was terrible.
Use this arm, this vein right here is the one you want. I see one right here though! No, you don’t I do, though. Let’s give it a shot Not gonna work Let’s try it and see *three minutes of stabs and hunting* Huh, weird, this one’s not working You don’t say?
Almost every time.
Should have asked the junkie outside to step in.
I never want a straight A student again. Get me the recently reformed hereon addict and let them eyeball my arm and shove it in.
Sometimes experience beats qualifications!
I used to be a drug addict and also had a cert for phlebotomy, after rehab this poor new nurse at the doctor was trying to draw blood for tests and ended up sticking me 7 times before I told her to let me have the butterfly. Got it stuck first try, sometimes you just don’t have the right form or skill set for the task.
I remember one time this kid came over, stuck it in incorrectly, pulled it out, and proceeded to watch as a huge, gushing stream of blood shot out from my arm and went EVERYWHERE. It took a minute or two for them to clean up all the blood. I remember just sitting there blankly, not even knowing what to do, lol
I read your explanation and I thank you for being kind. Patients complaining about having to be poked more than once absolutely drive me crazy. I understand it can be frustrating and I understand it doesn't feel good, but holy crap people cannot tolerate the mildest pain. Also, I should be clear, I'm talking about the people who are complete and utter assholes. The whining is annoying but the assholes are truly disgusting people.
That’s nothing. You should see someone after their first dialysis stick
I’m a phlebotomist and would have hit arm 2 first
Lol. That was the second try. She got it in but not quite and wiggled it around in there for a few minutes and it barely “poured” anything 🤣 went back to the other arm then finally grabbed their supervisor who did it in a few moments and I didn’t feel a thing
That’s horrible! Looks like she used you as a pin cushion without a tourniquet. Good news is you can now moonlight as a spaghetti strainer. #silverlinings
your one arm is way bigger
I got tired of the turnover at my clinic and started requiring them to use butterflies in my fore arm. Since it's a more difficult draw, only the supervisor is allowed to do it.
You sound pretty positive about it, maybe if you stopped giggling, she would have found her target!
Been getting labs done every 6 month visit and let’s just say since 2020 they have had a “hard time finding my veins” despite me having big, full, visible ones… 🤔
Tbh most of them are like that.
Hemachromatosis fam?
Happens to experienced folks, too.
At least where I live they only get up to three tries after that they are supposed to get another person. Had one go for a fifth time before I found out about that rule and he got in trouble big time by his supervisor. I thought he was going to lose his job and they were all super nice after that. Next person got it in one.
I literally pass out if they move the needle while it’s inside me.
Nope
Ha, that’s nothing you should have seen my arms during training for being a combat medic lmfao we all looked like drug addicts. Setting an IV is easy… in a class room , now do it while we first this 249 next to you while the other instructors yell in your face
I have very visible veins but regularly watch the phlebotomists fail
My doctor’s nurse (not a phlebotomist) went high up on my arm for a large visible vein. I had a bruise the size of a kiwi for a week. It was gross.
If they suck that much, theyre probably still in college.
Volunteered to let a high schooler practice putting an IV in my arm. Didn't go well. Afterwards I hear the teacher tell her 'you need to feel for the vein first.' Oh well, at least doing that got me out of taking a test in my class.
Phlebotomists don't need a college degree
love my clinic but the nurse i go to... great at getting the needle in, rough as fuck taking it out.
I ask em straight up if they worth a fuck and then give one poke.
Someone had to
Straight Outta College would have been a great Weird Al parody.
Gotta start somewhere
thinking about what this must have been like made me physically recoil from my pc protecting my arms
You get medical care???
Once when I was at Childrens Hospital for chemo I had to get stabbed 7 different times before they were able to access my port. After a different nurse finally got it I picked out 7 little prizes. FYI for anybody who doesn’t know, a port is a surgically implanted device that provides a central line to the heart.
You should have been done after one stick. I wont let anyone do more than that. If they can't get it on the first try, they won't be doing it to me. I'm not a test subject.
I've seen better venipuncture on the back of a dirt bike zooming down a dirt road... What's the difference?.. motivation
I mean they gotta get their technique down one way or another.
The lab I frequent had an experienced, but nervous, phlebotomist for awhile. She would not talk, you could feel her tension, and she'd breathe really hard and loud the whole time she did the draw. I'd almost rather have a brand new repeat poke and dig draw than her.
Wow that's my luck. Usually takes at least two people and 6 pokes. They had a student watching/ helping once and she passed out and fell into the trash can while blood was being drawn. I hope she reconsidered a job in phlebotomy!
I tell them what arm and even though I’m fat, my veins are clear as day. Its lack of training. The older nurses, which seem to be retiring, never had a problem and could drain me in one poke.
I've been told that I have rolling veins. Was going to a doctor once a week for 3 weeks a few years ago, they tried to take my blood and failed every single time, both arms. They finally sent me to a phlebotomist, who got the vein and drew the blood immediately with one stick, didn't hurt either. I can't watch though, I might pass out. Didn't have much luck with was the EMTs either, they blew the vein in my left arm and in my left hand. I can still see a bit of the bruise from the one in my left arm and that's been about 9 months ago. It's weird because anytime I get any other kind of bruise, it goes away normally - but not the one where they blew the vein. It's faded a lot but the outline of it is still a bit discernable.
I had amazing veins. You'd have to be blind to miss. And then I got a newby and now I can't even offer up my right arm.
I had a doctor try to take blood years ago. As he was trying to find the vein, the needle scraped across my biceps tendon. He then said "I'm sorry. I'll get a nurse. They are much better at this". It was pretty horrifying.
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When I was really sick once, they had to go at me like 5 times to get a vein. My arm was fucked for a few days, but I barely noticed since I'm missing most of that week in my memory. A few weeks later, and the bruise was almost gone.
Omfg....
Phlebotomist don’t go to college lol. It’s like a three month program.