Victory is Mine!

Me and my crew were in phlebotomy training this week. I really didn't want to stick anyone with a needle, much less extract blood from them.

The training was two days long. I should mention that I became a little faint when I was just palpating my own vein. The first day was lecture, and it didn't seem real that we actually had to follow up with puncturing someone's vein...especially after we discussed legal issues and possible nerve damage.

After day one, C and I came back to the office to practice on each other. We felt it would be better to fail in the company of each other, instead of the whole class. We got the gear out (I must say he did it reluctantly...there was a certain amount of coercion...with him saying, "No, I really don't want to do this," me, "Yes, we're doing this, get over here".

He palpated my vein, put alcohol on it...and we both jumped back at the same time, in unison, "I can't do this!". We had not completed our mission and knew that we had to do it in front of everyone tomorrow.

We got to the training and my hands were sweating. Not only did I NOT want a first time phlebotomist sticking me, I wanted to do it to someone else even less.

One of my co-workers sat down and rolled up his sleeve, "Ok Carolyn, let's go". I felt a little ill. I felt for his vein and got nervouse because I couldn't SEE it. I realize it's by feel, but I'd really like a little visual assistance. He gave me some helpful direction, "Left, back a little, ok, there".

I jabbed, stuck the vaccutainer into the tube holder and his blood came shooting out, just as it was suposed to. I pulled it out and stood back. He looks at me..."Um, I still have a tourniquet on". I leap forward to take it off and nearly stab him with the needle. NEARLY. I would consider it more of a disaster if I'd actually violated him post-stick...but I NEARLY did it. He said it was painless, and he didn't have any bruising.

After my victory, I offered up my vein to my partner in crime from the previous attempt at the office. He performed his stick flawlessly...and I almost passed out. With all the excitement, I ended up lying on the ground with my feet elevated.

They (and by they, I mean everyone) says that the first stick is the hardest. Once you get that out of the way it gets easier all the time.

So, who's next?