help, i'm lousy at blood draws

[reddellrn]

hi everyone, well i try and try but i cant seem to be able to draw blood from the patients. i have been in hh for 2mos. at first i was getting the blood draws. but not now. the last 5 pts i had to call for someone else to come and draw the blood. the veins either blow, or if i do get in the vein, it wont be sucked into the tube and sometimes i cant even hit the vein. i use the butterfly needles. when i was working at the hospital, i had no problem with starting ivs. i can tell the other nurses are getting anoyed with this. if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

[AnnemRN]

hi everyone, well i try and try but i cant seem to be able to draw blood from the patients. i have been in hh for 2mos. at first i was getting the blood draws. but not now. the last 5 pts i had to call for someone else to come and draw the blood. the veins either blow, or if i do get in the vein, it wont be sucked into the tube and sometimes i cant even hit the vein. i use the butterfly needles. when i was working at the hospital, i had no problem with starting ivs. i can tell the other nurses are getting anoyed with this. if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

I always instruct the patient to drink alot of water ( if they're not on fluid restrictions) before I get there. After putting the tourniquet on do a good search. Have the patient hang their arm down. I use the betadine applicator or pad and rub the vein harshly to get it to raise up.

All you can do is try your best, if that doesn't work then you may have to call someone. I am not the best phlebotomist and some people have difficult veins to see or palpate.

[RubyRN,CHPN]

Try hot packing the venipuncture site also. For sluggish blood return I will also use a larger gauge butterly to a syringe. You may also want to speak with customer service at the lab you use. Often times the will give you an amount for a sufficient quantity to run a lab. Ask your lab if they have smaller size tubes for certain tests like PT/INRS. Good Luck!

[Jo Dirt]

Try hot packing the venipuncture site also. For sluggish blood return I will also use a larger gauge butterly to a syringe. You may also want to speak with customer service at the lab you use. Often times the will give you an amount for a sufficient quantity to run a lab. Ask your lab if they have smaller size tubes for certain tests like PT/INRS. Good Luck!

I went to UMC lab in Lebanon, Tennessee and asked for a butterfly needle to do a blood draw on a person who was a very difficult stick.

This snotty guy comes from the back and asks, do we normally supply you with these? because they are $12-15 a pop.

Wouldn't give me one. And I think he is lying because when our HH agency orders them they are a couple of dollars a piece.