What the h-double-hockey-sticks...

[noahmercy]

is wrong with the medical establishment these days? Or is it just me?

I went in to get my annual blood draw today. Signed up online and checked the box that said "hard stick". For those unfamiliar with that term, it means it's difficult to get a needle into my veins. The last three times anyone tried tapping my arms, they ended up putting two holes in each, leaving me with painful sub-dermal hematomas for a week. Ended up going in the back of my hand (easily) and that is the way I've had draws ever since (about a dozen years now), including an 11 vial and 8 vial draw.

Got to the place, and a young lady who looks about 16 takes my info and starts getting ready to poke me. I remind her there's no way she'll have any luck with my arm and she needs to hit me in the back of a hand. She acts surprised (obviously nobody bothered to note the "hard stick" on my sheet), and says she can't do that and she'll send in a more experienced phlebotomist.

So in comes Ms. tatted-up metal face who looks all of 18. Gets the band on my arm and starts trying to get a vein up on my arm. I explain once again that I do not want to endure minutes of needles being wiggled around under my skin and end up with huge blood blisters. She insists she has found a "good vein" near the crook of my arm. I explain again that it may be "good" to look at or palpate, but it's tough as old shoe leather and will just squirm around while she lacerates it repeatedly with the tip of the needle. She de facto refuses to go in the back of my hand.

I pulled off the tourniquet and told her I wasn't playing this game and didn't feel like being a pin cushion.

So was I unreasonable?

 

[Rat76]

No.

 

[miniman]

hell no!

 

[Snake45]

No. You did EXACTLY the right thing.

Now you need to find the name of a Supervisor of some sort and complain.

 

[Dave P.]

Nope, most areas have plenty of labs to pick from.
If I was in a good mood I might tell her she gets one try only.

 

[Cholo]

No, you weren't being unreasonable at all. It takes an experienced nurse to stick me. 18 years old ain't experienced enough for you or me!

 

[Watertender]

I am a hard stick and prefer some phlebotomists over others. At the cancer center there used to be a set of twin brothers who could draw blood from a bowling ball. They were the best but now are retired. For my first surgery in 2011 I almost put my clothes on and went home. I swear the girl trying to get the IV line started was working for the Gestapo to get me to confess. After the 4th try I told her to get someone else to put the IV in. One of the twins came in and it was in within a minute with no problem. I have to go every 3 months for the rest of my life to stay on top of things so I am learning which phlebotomists are good. One time I saw a phlebotomist with a tattoo of a mosquito and a tourniquet which I thought was unique. I didn't have her do my draw and never saw her again.

 

[sfhogman]

Sadly, I am no stranger to blood draws...
I remember getting my blood drawn at the University of California San Francisco - one of the world's premiere medical schools - when I was a tradesman there. The next day a close friend who is an MD had a look at my new hematoma and remarked,
"You should have hired a junkie "....

The folks at the VA in San Francisco are used to old coots like me with questionable veins. They've always been quick and efficient.

Walking out on those "professionals" was the right thing to do!

 

[jimbo1096]

I actually admire you for your actions. A lot of people would've put up with that stuff but it's the older we get the less reasonable we are for people who are unprofessional and incompetent.

 

[Johnnu2]

I just pass out on them..... I'm a very old man.

You can imagine the panic .... I wish I was awake to see it.

I wake up with at least TWO real doctors hovering over me; my feet elevated and ice packs. No snacks or beverages unfortunately.....

I think I know those two girls

 

[NC FNS]

My wife always ends up with the IV in her "other" arm, but usually not before the most recent "Well, I'll be the first to get it in this arm" nurse takes a few whacks at it. Saying, "I told you so" doesn't alleviate the bruises…

 

[Colonialgirl]

My last stay in the local VA hospital, I had one in trying to stick a vein after about three tries they got another nurse and zip, faster than I could blink she had the needle in a vein with no pain and NO MISSES

 

[Cholo]

My X was a BSRN on the Pediatrics floor. Every time they had a tough one they called for N. She got it the first time every time. You either got it or you ain't.

 

[sceva]

When I had my last knee replaced a year ago I was getting released and they came in and removed the IV. A few minutes later it was OOPS the Dr wants you to get the last anti-biotic and it's an IV; we have to put it back in. It took three of them trying before the last one finally got it. And I am usually an easy stick.

 

[Mobuck]

How about having the helo flight nurse and the vehicle ambulance nurse fighting over who can or can't get an IV started?
That's what happened to me 11/2/22. Ambulance nurse(?) had already 'missed' twice and poking a third time when flight nurse literally climbed over me to take over. By that time, I wasn't sure which was going to get me first: smoke inhalation complications or blood loss from the multiple stab wounds to my arms.
I have on occasion calmly stated "Don't make me have to tap my own vein" when a 'lab tech' wasn't getting the job done. My Daughter was a phlebotomist at a sort of local hospital and I learned from her. I've drawn blood and started an IV or two and wasn't half bad at it BTW. It's actually easier on humans than animals since most humans don't have as much hair.

 

[contender]

I too would have gotten up, AND demanded to see the most senior supervisor in charge. I would have then, POLITELY pointed out that I had put "Hard stick" on THEIR paperwork, and if those two couldn't read, they dern sure weren't going to try & stick me.
And,, a written, formal complaint often gets better results too.

 

[Watertender]

My current wife is a retired RN who worked in a veteran's hospital in the ICU for over 20 years. She can do a blood draw or IV slicker than slick. She told me that when she first started at an Indian Reservation to pay back the Federal Government for her BSN degree she had an old timer show her a trick. She said that she would rub a little nitro paste on the arm where she wanted to put the IV and the veins would pop right to the surface for an easier stick. In 2017 when I had chemo the IV was bad. I had it every 3 weeks and was supposed to get 6 treatments. I stopped it after the 4th one because it made me so sick and the IV was a torture unto itself.

 

[dreamer]

Kind of a long time issue with me, Monday 6 sticks for a blood draw, yesterday IV for nuclear med on the first try, 3 weeks ago IV after multiple people tried up and down both arms including one try in the neck, successful in the shoulder on the 17th. I'm usually happy if they get in 6 or under, after ten I start confessing to things I haven't done yet.

 

[wolfsong]

I HATE needles. You almost have to sedate me in order to stick me.

I have rafted the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. I hunted alligators in Florida and mountain lions in California (when it was legal). I've hunted bear without hounds. I've hunted rattlesnakes. I work in a Level 4 maximum security prison. The sight of blood doesn't faze me.Through all those experiences fear was never a factor. Buuut...show me a needle and I get cold and clammy snd sweat like a cold beer on a hot day! I hyperventilate and my blood pressure goes up and my heart about leaps out of my chest. So far, I haven't passed out...yet.

Some "great white hunter", eh?

 

[turd]

I HATE needles. You almost have to sedate me in order to stick me.

I have rafted the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. I hunted alligators in Florida and mountain lions in California (when it was legal). I've hunted bear without hounds. I've hunted rattlesnakes. I work in a Level 4 maximum security prison. The sight of blood doesn't faze me.Through all those experiences fear was never a factor. Buuut...show me a needle and I get cold and clammy snd sweat like a cold beer on a hot day! I hyperventilate and my blood pressure goes up and my heart about leaps out of my chest. So far, I haven't passed out...yet.

Some "great white hunter", eh?

Well, I am a type 1 diabetic. I haven't had the 'adventures' you have, but I have been 'stuck' several hundred times over 35 or so years. Don't like the sight of blood (especially my own), but needles are no issue. Still, some of the lab techs have a pretty tough time. I always thank the ones who 'get it done'.