As to why some phlebotomists act so heartless…I don’t know. I’ve encountered that, too. I have noticed that most labs are working as fast as they can. I don’t know if they’re under strict time guidelines or what’s going on, but they seem to be really really overworked and pretty much what they do all day is draw vial after vial. There are ads on tv all the time saying how easy it is and that you get paid really well if you just complete medical assistant or phlebotomy training in as little as 9 months. I’m sure a lot of these people don’t know what they’re getting into and they’re probably not getting paid all that much either. Still no excuse for treating a patient rudely or roughly. I don’t care how bad your day is. (That goes for dental assistants, too.) In any case, please report anyone who is rude, rough or hurtful.

My philosophy in life has always been that I never want to leave someone I come into contact with worse off than before they met me. I always ask people how they are and listen to their responses. I smile and wish them a nice day when I leave them. I don’t know what the cashier at Walmart is up against in her daily life, but I do know that I do not want to add to her burden. If she’s lucky and has not been touched by tragedy, then I want her to continue living in that cocoon of sweet bliss for as long as possible.

My pet peeve is that people not only don’t recognize themselves but leave comments showing they’re just like the phlebotomist you encountered. One commenter above just left me shuddering at her insensitivity and downright nastiness. I hope you are luckier next time you have to have lab work done. Just remember to put him/her at ease first and then make your request. I just thought of something else…maybe when making your lab appt you could request that a butterfly be used. Worth a try?

-people who don’t go 10 over the speed limit in the fast lane during the morning commute
-aggressive drivers that cut people off (maybe I am my own pet peeve)
-bosses that give edits then change them back on the next review
-wishy washy supervisors
-people that drop paper towels in the bathroom and don’t pick them up

Sorry about the needle thing. I am not squeemish about needles, but I am extremely difficult to get blood out of. The Red Cross hates me and told me not to come back, seriously. I often leave the lab with multiple sticks in weird places and bruises and track marks up my arms. I really love when they pull the needle out just a little and stick it back in but in a different direction, in effect shredding the vein. I have recently found a method that works well (pediatric butterfly needle in the large vein on the side of my wrist) and I tell the tech that up front and have been giving lots of verbal praise to her (phlebotomist?) for leaving my arms in tact. I’m so grateful. I hope you are able to find one that works with you. Hopefully the blood draws won’t last much longer.

Have you considered desensitization therapy?
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Add to that the fact that my veins dive and roll every time they try to draw blood and it’s not too fun. Only once in my whole life as anyone been able to draw blood from my arm and it was a fantastic nursing STUDENT. Nevertheless,they always say “can I just try?” (even though I tell them) and of course I say “please do” because it really hurts to have it drawn out of the top of your hand, especially when the veins tend to blow and they end up having to squeeze and dig several times there as well. Even though they usually use a smaller needle for the hand, it’s attached to a tube that then has to draw the blood down into the vial. It feels like it takes forever.

More than once, I have left the lab, looking frightening to the waiting patients I’m sure, with all of the bandages around both arms and hands.

Once in the hospital lab, I told the nurse the issue and he said, “well I don’t have any of the smaller needles, sorry” and proceeded to use the larger one that they use on the arm. He just jabbed in there so hard and I passed out on him from the sheer pain of it, then had to drive home 45 miles alone.

I can see where the other commenters who are in the medical field get frustrated with the whiners but we aren’t all just looking for attention, so even a little empathy would be greatly appreciated. Is it really that hard to do? I mean, what would it hurt to be nicer just in case they really do have a serious issue?

I will comment to Janet on part of her comment: “Personally, I wish you had thrown up on her shoes, preferably, open-toe.” If this lab tech had been wearing open-toed shoes she would have been violating infection control rules – and think about it…she’s working with needles all day long that she has stuck into someone’s arm to draw blood. She doesn’t know who is and is not infected with whatever is out there these days….if she drops that needle and it sticks her in the toe….do you really think she’s going to take that risk. She may not like her job but I bet she likes being healthy. Oh and….standing for the better part of the day on concrete floors covered with linoleum tile….I don’t know of many open-toed shoe varieties that are comfortable enough for that for an 8 hour day.

As I have worked in healthcare since I was 16 years old….& one of my jobs was drawing blood, you get tired of hearing, what seems like, every patient talk about how they hate needles. My personal favorite comment comes from my time working in dental offices, when several patients actually said to us “nothing personal, but I hate you people.” If anyone thinks they are going to get super gentle dental care after saying those words to someone – I believe they need to think again.

Robynn’s Ravings´s last blog post..We All Scream and Then We Have Ice-Cream….

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But, I would have to say that my most recent peeve is not respecting the sensitivity or feelings of someone else, just because you have “thicker skin.” (I had to listen to a co-worker laugh off almost making someone cry today, because she thinks he should just “get over it” and toughen up.)

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