Any hospital phlebotomists?

I'm a new UK phlebotomist that has been working in the wards for a few weeks.

In terms of forms, they vary but we do get quite a few forms, depending on wards, that tell you what colours to use which makes the job much easier and there's less room for error. But you shouldn't rely on them.

I don't know what experience you have, but taking bloods is pretty straightforward when it comes to fit and healthy people. It's a whole other ball game in wards because people are sick. I can bleed a high number of healthy people, but struggle to get more than 5 people in wards because their veins seem non-existent or resistant to needles. That can be caused by dehydration and repeatedly being pricked almost daily for bloods or IVs. Not only that, but your options become even more limited if they have fistulas, an IV and/or they've had breast cancer or had lymph nodes removed. Very quickly your options are limited and you start taking blood from almost anywhere you can find (in the arm).

I don't mean to say this in order to scare you, but just to prepare you that you may repeatedly fail at getting bloods from people and start questioning if you can even take bloods, but you can, it's just the patients can be exceptionally difficult to bleed. Even my trainer sometimes struggles.

The only positive is that some patients are/fall asleep (we obviously still get their ID), so they don't notice what you're doing so you can totally concentrate on what you're doing, and nearly all are used to being pricked and prodded so they will usually stay still for you and have a higher threshold. They also have similar tests done, so you're not always having to check what colours to use.

/r/phlebotomy Thread