I see it mentioned so many times on hear about people w/tats becoming upset over IV sticks. Granted, I'd probably think the pt was a big wuss too if they were COVERED in tattoos. However, I DO have tattoos (two-one on my left calf and one on top of my right foot) yet I HATE needles! Honestly, the worst thing about labor for me was that damn IV start!
So, for those of you who don't have tattoos. There is a big difference between getting a tattoo and being stuck with a single needle. The ink guns used for my tats had 5 or 9 needles; the 5 needle gun was used for straight lines/outlining; the 9 needle gun was used for coloring. The area numbed itself quite quickly with that many needles essentially jamming themselves into a larger area of skin repetively, whereas an IV start or blood draw is one needle being stuck into a centralized location (sometimes more than once, sometimes being wiggled around/pulled back, etc).
Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now! Thanx for listening!
