I just have to vent

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So, I'm taking a phlebotomy class for the credits, and we practice drawing on each other.

Today, we did butterfly's and had a competency. My "partner" proceeded to ask me to not use her arms because it hurt less in her hand. As if I wasn't nerve wracked enough, now I have to stress out over doing it in her hand.

So, I couldn't find a good vein in her hand and she let me use her right arm only. I"m thinking "Woman, you're killing me, here"

So, fine....I go to do the stick and SHE PULLS AWAY. Making this "eek" sound. TOTAL valley girl. I could have killed her. Mind you, she has to do this too, she KNOWS how nerve wracking it is!!

I just went about my business and passed it anyways, but SERIOUSLY, AHHHHH.

Just wanted to share.

Totally get you. But you know what? Patients are often like that :D

sharpeimom

2,452 Posts

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

For my first stick on a real live patient, I had passed lab, and while nervous, was feeling as though I could do it without killing my patient... probably.

Who did I get? My patient was middle-aged man who had great veins. He was very nice and was cooperative with all of us. I began and was about an inch from sticking him when his ever present wife yelled "​STOP!"

-What do you think that did to my confidence? My instructor jumped almost as high as I did which made me feel less dumb. The wife was so difficult and obnoxious that she was ultimately banned from all procedures and treatments.

You will continue to gain confidence as you progress and things that seem impossible and too hard will become merely routine.

I promise.

ComeTogether, LPN

1 Article; 2,178 Posts

Specializes in Transitional Nursing.
Totally get you. But you know what? Patients are often like that :D

Oh, I totally know and accept that. What makes it so irritating is that she is a fellow classmate, and it just seemed like she was trying to sabotage me when I would have hoped for some camaraderie since if she were a patient she'd be able to request that a student not be the one to stick her :(

ComeTogether, LPN

1 Article; 2,178 Posts

Specializes in Transitional Nursing.
For my first stick on a real live patient, I had passed lab, and while nervous, was feeling as though I could do it without killing my patient... probably.

Who did I get? My patient was middle-aged man who had great veins. He was very nice and was cooperative with all of us. I began and was about an inch from sticking him when his ever present wife yelled "​STOP!"

-What do you think that did to my confidence? My instructor jumped almost as high as I did which made me feel less dumb. The wife was so difficult and obnoxious that she was ultimately banned from all procedures and treatments.

You will continue to gain confidence as you progress and things that seem impossible and too hard will become merely routine.

I promise.

Thank you. :-) I just .... grrrrrrr.

You're sweet. xo

I'm glad my nursing school didn't let us practice on each other. We gave shots to oranges and stuck IVs in an old battered plastic arm with track marks. It had something to do with the school board not allowing us to use each other to practice invasive procedures (needles/catheters) but could do so with noninvasive things (clothed assessment, fake dressing changes).

Hey. Don't take it so close. Maybe you really is freaked. Some people just can't stay calm in some situations. You'll be fine :)

Specializes in ED.

Some people are weird about blood draws on themselves but have no problem sticking people. I really hate needle sticks but I let nursing students practice IV starts on me. It's a confidence booster with no real pressure as I don't care if they are successful or not.

ixchel

4,547 Posts

Specializes in critical care.

I had a guy who could verbally communicate but was deaf and couldn't read english. Lab came in to draw him. As soon as she stuck him, he started yelling at her, pinched her really hard and when she got out of his grip, he drew his fist back to punch her. I had just reached the room, and I guess me entering it interrupted him enough that he started shouting at me that she wasn't going to stick him anymore. He was calm as ever the whole day before that, had had blood draws 3 times since his admission before day shift. I made sure to get an on call dose of lorazepam so he'd have something chill him out for his 6:00 labs.

Specializes in Medical Surgical/Addiction/Mental Health.
I had a guy who could verbally communicate but was deaf and couldn't read english. Lab came in to draw him. As soon as she stuck him, he started yelling at her, pinched her really hard and when she got out of his grip, he drew his fist back to punch her. I had just reached the room, and I guess me entering it interrupted him enough that he started shouting at me that she wasn't going to stick him anymore. He was calm as ever the whole day before that, had had blood draws 3 times since his admission before day shift. I made sure to get an on call dose of lorazepam so he'd have something chill him out for his 6:00 labs.

You have to love those patients! Yeah I know you've been stuck several times already, but we are trying to figure out what's wrong with you and your blood tells us a lot.

dudette10, MSN, RN

3,530 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

If we had been required to practice sticks on each other, I would have died right then and there. I am the WORST patient possible when it comes to sticks. HATE them.

Some of my coworkers will allow nursing students to practice IVs on them. The nursing students will then look longingly at my veins, and I just say, "Don't even...not happenin'!"

klone, MSN, RN

14,786 Posts

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

I always let students practice on me. When I worked in research, the PRA was trying to get her phleb certification, and she needed something like 90 observed draws. I would guess that about 75 of them were me, over the course of several months. She practiced on me 4-5x/week.

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