Pretty Anxious About Drawing Blood!

[gymnut]

So while I am celebrating my new position as a PCA in the hospital I am currently volunteering at I'm actually really anxious about learning to draw blood. I know everybody is at first and I talked to a couple of techs on the floor and a few of my friends who are techs and nurses. They all reassured me that yes, it is nerve wracking and it does take practice but everyone gets it eventually. Most of them told me it's all in what you feel and the angle of the needle.

Of course today I had to get blood drawn to check my titers as part of the pre-employment screening and I began to talk to the phlebotomist. She said she has been doing this for 8 years and was always a natural but that a lot of people have a really hard time with it. She mentioned one tech was on her 3rd week of training and she is still nowhere close to doing it right. Then while I was volunteering I was talking to a new grad who said that it was her first day off orientation and how hard it was for her. We were chatting for a bit and she said that she was a tech herself for 3 months before becoming a nurse and she still can't draw blood right or barely start IVs. I'm just afraid I will never get it and I will be let go from the position

I know practice makes perfect, but since I'm on 2nd shift they said that blood draws are hardly ever done and that's more 3rd shifts department. So if they are never done how am I suppose to get to practice and get better? I'm thinking of enrolling in a phlebotomy class but I'm not sure. I also went on Youtube to find videos but those weren't helpful whatsoever due to the thousands of comments. I tried looking up books but couldn't find any good ones either.

So if anyone knows of a great website were I can watch some videos and possibly learn some techniques or a good book about phlebotomy I would appreciate it! Heck even any regular advice or tricks on how to find veins and know the difference between arteries and tendons would be good too!

[PAERRN20]

Relax! No one is born being awesome at blood draws or IV starts. (Trust me....NOBODY!) It takes lots of sticks and I would agree most of it is feeling the vein and needle angle. Good luck!

[sunnycalifRN]

*clip* Heck even any regular advice or tricks on how to find veins and know the difference between arteries and tendons would be good too!

Don't worry, you'll get it with enough practice.

But, your question about arteries and tendons. Tendons are hard . . . they do not compress. And, arteries have a pulse . . . veins have no pulse.

Occasionally, patients with scarred up veins from chemo txs will have veins that feel hard, but you probably wouldn't want to stick those veins anyway.

If you can find a friend who will let you practice on them ( kind of a rare bird!!), that will help, too.

[sunnycalifRN]

I worked 5 years doing phlebotomy and patients who knew they were "hard sticks" would just tell me where their best veins were. It makes your job easier and less pain for the patient.

IV drug users also knew their veins very well and would tell you where to stick . . . I actually had a couple a them who would set the needle for me, made my job a lot easier!!

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

Just tested out your question on AN! Type in "venipuncture techniques" in the Search box and pick your thread. In the very first thread listed, one of the responses posted a link, and you'll probably find more if you scroll further down.

You probably have the same problem as I do....I feel it along with the patient! :)

[gymnut]

Thanks for all the advice! I'll have to Google some more and I did find a load of threads under venipuncture techniques.

Also what's all the fuss about using a butterfly needle? I asked for the phlebotomist to use one on me today and she made a huff about it. She said that all the new techs always want to use butterfly needles but she said she feels you have to learn to straight stick. I have no idea what she used on me but the crook of my elbow is so sore right now! I never had sore area for a butterfly. Yes, I ask for them because I'm a baby.

So what's all that fuss about?

[pgotm]

Butterfly needles usually take longer to draw from when getting labs. But great on people with small veins.

[Belle Epoque]

I've not noticed any difference in length of time, the gauges are the same as regular needles - besides what's a few extra seconds anyway? If you're that rushed you shouldn't be drawing blood.

We only use butterfly needles.

[alby_dangle]

If you go to youtube and search "blood draw" or "starting IV's" (which is similar) there are LOTS of great videos with close up shots! I found those really helpful when I was going through check offs for school

[86toronado, BSN, RN]

I too learned to draw blood as a PCA, and it definitely made me better at placing IV's once I became an RN. Since then I've been training the techs on my unit to do blood draws, so I'll give you some of the pointers that I always give them:

-Always go by the feel of a vein, rather than how it looks. Often, especially on older folks, the veins that stand out under the skin are actually very weak, and tend to "blow" when punctured. I tell the people that I am training to always go for the "bouncy" veins.

-9 times out of 10 a person's best vein to use for blood draws will be their AC, but always look and feel around first. I say this because I am that 10th person.

-When piercing the skin, go in at a 15-30 degree angle, no deeper.

-If you get a "flash" of blood, but then no blood return into the specimen container, try backing out with the needle just a bit, and/or slightly increasing the angle of the needle without advancing it. If you are up against the wall of the vein or a valve these techniques will start the blood flow again.

-Always, always, always take the tourniquet off of the patient before taking the needle out!

I hope these little tips help! Once you are good at doing it, drawing blood can actually be fun. Nothing puts a smile on my face like when I finish up with a patient and they say "Oh, I didn't even feel that!" :)