Two Days with the Phlebotomist

I spent Thursday and Friday of this week doing something a bit different form observing Dr B and spent 2 days with with phlebotomist (she was so lovely!).
Basically she runs the clinic and people just come in for bloods all day long! Before I started I had the opinion, "oh I can only watch blood being taken so many times!", I was wroong and I learnt some handy tips about taking blood!

A phlebotomist is a support worker or healthcare assistant (HCA) who collect blood from patients for examination in the lab. 

Things and Tips

• It is surprising how many patients come in with a huge phobia of needles and having blood taken. The blood taking process lasts no longer than 30-60 seconds, depending on how much you need to collect. Patients always say they have had a bad previous experience with having blood taken, and have had nurses that have been rough, left bruises and left them with a really negative experience. A lot of patients also don't like the "idea" of a piece of metal being inserted into their body. But Hannah (the nurse) pointed out that you need to focus the patient on the positives of the blood taking process, such as after it's finished and your chatting away and it wasn't really that bad etc. Otherwise they will just carry on being petrified of needles!
• As a doctor you don't receive a great deal of training in terms of taking blood, so be proactive and take some time to shadow a phlebotomist for the day and improve your blood taking skills.
• Feel for the veins, don't just go for the ones that you can see. Hannah said practice feeling and bouncing and rocking the veins for some fat juicy ones. 
• Problems you face taking blood: the elderly, who's veins have lost their elasticity, they have fragile, weak veins, arthritis may mean they cannot fully extend their arm for locating available veins. 
• Practice makes perfect! 

Now I'm at home practicing feeling my mums veins!