Thread can haz nine lives?
Fluffy the Phlebotomist
I had a problem recently at the doctor’s office. I went in to be seen for some random ailment, and they needed to draw blood. Okay, fine. Problem was, I donated plasma for years and my veins in my elbows are shot. Massive scar tissue.
I told the woman this, and she went for my forearm! I’m talking halfway down the forearm, between my elbow and my wrist. I have never heard of blood being drawn this way, so I told her, “You’re not getting blood from there!” She said, “Well, it’s not my fault you screwed up your veins giving plasma.”
I went off. I told her in no uncertain terms that she needs to think about things before she says them, and that there was no way in hell she was drawing blood from me. I walked out. The doctor said she could have gotten the same results from a finger stick. I told him I was not allowing her to touch me under any circumstances. Since there was no one else there that could draw blood, I went home with the best guess the doctor could give me. He told me to go to the hospital if it got any worse. Thankfully, his best guess seemed to be right on, as I got better pretty soon after.
I donated plasma on and off for about seven years, and one of those was for a year straight. My ex-boyfiend (yes, I did that on purpose) would not hold down a job, and my job paid okay, but not that well, so I had to do that in order for us to survive. Some people need to show a little more compassion or get out of any kind of business that deals with people.
I went in a few weeks ago because of some gut pain. I was worried that the hell that was my bout of chronic pancreatitis was starting up again, as I know it will one day. The clinic guy sent me to get some blood tests to check, as expected. I know I have bad veins, but a good phlebotomist can usually hit one 50% of the time. The lady I got started on my left arm. Try #1 - fail, including the digging around portion of the show. She said she’d try one more time and if she didn’t get it, I could come back another time. Um, no, I thought. I would like to know TODAY if I get to go through six months of eating through a nose tube again or not. But whatever, I figured she’d get it on the second try, so I didn’t say anything.
Try #2 - in the left arm. Again. I have never had someone try twice in the same area. She did the digging around thing again, and then gave up and said I should come back in a couple of days. (?!!) I pointed out that I still had another arm she hadn’t even tried yet, and she seemed shocked that I’d be willing to try again. Well, OK, maybe that was understandable, but I really wanted these results, which I explained to her. She finally hit gold on try #3.
Theoretically speaking, there’s no reason you can’t draw blood from a forearm vein. Blood in a vein is blood in a vein. I’ve found that forearm veins are often a good spot to start IVs. Less painful than hand veins and you don’t limit arm movement like with the AC.
St. Urho
Paramedic
I had to have blood drawn on Friday for some routine tests. I’ve got veins like taps; turn them on and they go. It took two minutes to draw the blood and it was the easiest, most painless stick I’ve ever had. I mean, the phlebotomist was good.
Afterward, when she was dressing my arm, I thanked her and complimented her on her skill. I made her day. 
Robin
The last couple of times I’ve had blood drawn it’s been from the forearm. I’d never seen it done that way, but she tried it and it worked. Good enough for me. The second time I actually suggested it. I just want to get in, get stuck, and get out. Fill up the little test tube and let me go. I’d rather leave with one bandaid on my forearm than three in various places.
Thanks! I didn’t know that. If it’s less painful than a hand IV, I may try that. I’ll have to bring the EMLA along, though.
She did freak me out, though, and said the wrong thing.
I have found it very much worth my while to compliment techs if I have an easy blood-drawing experience. My doctor must be keeping a seethe of vampires somewhere, he is always wanting AT LEAST half a dozen tubes of blood from me every 4-6 weeks. The techs remember me as someone who tries to be nice to them.
In light of my comments upthread, and the comments subsequent to them, I would like to mention that I regularly get complimented on the painlessness of my blood draws. And this is from hospital inpatients - people who feel worse than the average “victim”.
And I thank you from the bottom of my socks. I really appreciate it. Thank you, people who take time to say good things to me. I walk into someone’s room, with nothing fun to give…and I get out with no pain, no anger - and I love to be appreciated for it.
I give blood regularly, with happy fat gushy veins that do their bag-filling duty pip-pip! I’ve had only one bad experience, and that was when the blood-drawing was finished; as the tech withdrew the needle I got an electric jolt down my arm into my hand. The tingly weirdness of having a nerve pricked lasted for a day or two, then went away.
That happened in my left inner elbow. Since then, I’ve always asked to have my right arm done, even though that’s my dominant hand, as the veins are bigger and easier to get. When I discussed it with one tech, she told me that the veins on the dominant side tend to be bigger. Is that true?
Like Lynn, I make a point of complimenting the tech whenever possible.
I donate platelets every three weeks, and while I haven’t had too many really bad experiences, I still try to compliment a particularly good stick. (I had one I literally did not feel! It was amazing!)
Man, I’ve done so many blood draws from the forearm. Started IV’s there, the neck, the feet, the fingers, the scalp, the bicep, shallow veins on the chest wall.
I will dig for a vein, sometimes it hurts more than starting over, sometimes less, and sometimes it’s your only chance.
I always ask a pt what they brought me and where they’d prefer it, and will comply if possible. Of course, some pts are FOS, so not always.
I have had some delightful draws and ALWAYS thank the phleb if it isn’t a disaster, with detailed commentary when appropriate. Some of them are just gifted. Some of them aren’t, but do their damnedest to learn anyway, and them I particularly love.
As you know, thanking *anyone *for doing their job well makes the world a better place. [/platitudinosity]
I get lots of blood draws and I always feel bad for the people that lack confidence when they draw me. I know they don’t want to hurt me and are trying their best. One guy stuck me 8 times. He was the only one there at the time, I had to get some kind of diagnostic that required iv. We ended up waiting half an hour or so for another employee to arrive. She had better luck.
I have “bad” veins, as did my mom. I don’t know the specifics, rollers or whatever. I appreciate a pro that can get it on the first jab. I used to go to a clinic that had the best phlebotomist. She was ex-military and so efficient. Tie, wipe, poke done!
I’m a big thanker.
Try asking the techs to tie the tourniquet pretty tight. My surface veins are really not so great, but I’ve got a wonderful vein deep in my left elbow, which will only pop up when the tourniquet is uncomfortably tight. I’d rather have a tight tourniquet for a few minutes for one stick, than have someone poke and prod for several minutes, then finally retying the tourniquet.
y’all jinxed me dammit. Went to the hospital for blood draw, warned the tech, she tied off each hand, finally tried right hand, poke dig dig dig. then did my elbow. Today, I’ve got a bruise 2 inch by 2 inches on my elbow.:(