Despite the label of "vampire" and fear in the eyes of many who approach them, most phlebotomists have our well-being at heart. They try to make us think of something besides their needle and they'll gladly give tips - such as being hydrated by drinking water - for a less painful blood letting.
Phlebotomists are health care professionals trained to do venipuncture and capillary punctures. In simpler language, they are the ones you usually go to when a doctor orders blood work. They can be trained laboratory technicians, nurses and medical technologists, among others certified in drawing blood.
"To do this job, you have to be a people person," said Katrina McCarty, the phlebotomy supervisor at Garden Park Medical Center in Gulfport. "If you can't relate or talk to patients like someone in your family or your friend, you won't get them receptive to the idea of sticking something sharp in their arm.
"Even if they aren't scared of a needle, it's still an object being jabbed in their arm. The best thing is for us to be honest with them, to explain everything we are going to do."
Lajena King, phlebotomy supervisor at Hancock Medical Center in Bay St. Louis, estimates that about 25 percent who come in have some fear of having blood drawn.
"Distraction is the best thing, whether we get them talking about their family or what they did over the weekend," King said. "You have to help them get their mind off what you are doing and you have to tell them the truth. A stick is a stick.
"Most of the fears are from something that happened earlier, maybe being traumatized as a child or having an IV put in. We're human. Our minds tend to go back to what happened so it's up to us to give them a good experience to remember."
King's center observes a two-stick rule. If the phlebotomist misses the vein after two attempts someone else takes over. Some patients have deep or small veins that make it more difficult to stick; some normally efficient technicians have off days.
Both King and McCarty said patients should remember that they are the customer and have a right to decent service.
Patients with potential problems may ask for a butterfly needle, a gauge thinner than the usual lab work needles and with butterflylike wings as a guide. Some believe this one is less painful but the drawback is that it will be in you longer because the blood flows slower into collection tubes. If a number of tests are ordered, this needle is impractical.
An important point is that when doctors send patients for lab work, they may not tell them about required fasting. Inquire beforehand.
"You want a true reading, and what you ate or drank may affect that," said King.
Some tests, such as lipids for cholesterol or glucose for diabetes, require fasting from food and liquids. Fasting should be 8, 10 to 12 hours in advance, depending on the test.
Fasting does not usually include plain water. King and McCarty, in fact, suggest drinking water the day before so that your veins are well hydrated. Much of your blood makeup is water and it keeps cell ratios normal and flowing.
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