I sometimes tell my patients that unless something goes terribly wrong, this will hurt you more than it hurts me. One of my mentors, right before sticking, says, "Say Ouch." My patients say ouch without being told, so I tell them it's okay to cuss me, just don't hit me (because I've got this sharp needle in my hand).
One patient apologized to me after inadvertantly pulling out a perfectly good IV. Without really thinking, I told her, "That's okay, I need the practice, anyway." Fortunately, I think she thought I was joking, but I've since decided not to put that kind of pressure on myself. But I did get it pretty easily, on the first stick.
Some patients are hard sticks and they know it, so the very idea of getting an IV upsets them. I promise them I won't just poke and hope--if I don't find a vein I'm pretty sure I can hit, I'll get someone else. It's funny, because a lot of times I get them easier than the ones who look like an easy stick.
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