Please Help Me

abmsam · May 8, 2005

I just recently got a job as a student nurse the thing is i am having trouble with blood draws the little butterfly ones ohhhh i think i went in thinking i couldnt do it and now i feel soooo overwhelmed its all i have been thinking about maybe i am going in at too much of an angle i dont know i feel so stupid!!! it has consumed my thoughts all day if anyone has any kind of advice let me know i really want to do good and now i am feeling defeated.... thanks

I'm a nursing student and work as a phlebotomist part time for a medical laboratory. Butterflies are tricky, but if you can get the technique, you'll never forget it.

Be sure you have your tourniquet tight enough. It may seem too tight, but it will only be tied for a minute, and in order for the vein to pop up, you need it tight. Another thing that helps me if the patient has rolling veins is to anchor the vein with my thumb and forefinger of my left hand, while holding the needle in my right hand. Put your finger above where you're going to stick and your thumb below and press. This helps keep the vein still. Hold the butterfly almost flat against the hand when you insert it. Veins in the hand are very superficial, not deep like in the arm, and if you stick at too much of an angle, you will go straight through it.

If you don't see a flashback of blood in the line after you have inserted the needle, pull back a bit. Beginners sometimes go too deep, and pulling back will put you in the right spot. If you still don't have a flashback, feel for the vein with your non-dominant hand while holding the butterfly steady with your other hand. Sometimes you can feel if you've gone too far to the right or left, and then adjust the needle accordingly.

Practice make perfect. Don't get discouraged. Phlebotomy is tough, and very stressful at times. I hope this helps a little, and please feel free to ask more specific questions if you have them. I've been doing it for a while, and like to think I'm pretty good!! :bow:

NicInNC, CNA · May 8, 2005

How long did you have to go to school to become a phlebotomist? That's something that interests me since blood is no big deal at all to me. I honestly don't know if I'm doing to be able to enter the RN program as soon as I thought due to so much volunteer work that I do (Girl Scouts, Coach of 8 and under softball team, helping out at my kids school, etc).

What kind of pay rate is in the phlebotemy field?

abmsam · May 9, 2005

I do not have any formal phlebotomy training. Most hospitals and labs don't require certification. Of course, I'm sure it helps, but I was lucky enough to find a lab that was willing to train me. I actually began working in the accounting dept of the lab, and just learned to stick from the med techs there. I now go to several long term care facilities each day to draw. If you would like to be certified, check into your local community colleges and technical schools. Most have a Continuing Ed certification course that lasts about three months.

The pay rate depends on your experience. Hourly can range from $8-$12 per hour. I actually work on a contract basis. I get paid per stick. The range for contract work is around $3-$6 per stick. The problem with contract is that you can't usually get much work. They give the small jobs to the contract phlebo's. But it pays the bills!!