Tips for having blood taken...
- Have a glass of water before you go to bed the night before. I used to just try and drink a gallon of water when I woke up in the morning until a lovely phlebotomist (still love that word) told me this trick. Still good to drink plenty of water in the morning as well.
- Take a book... Being distracted while in the waiting room is very important. You can't guarantee there'll be something good on the TV or riveting mags on a little table. Book. A good book.
- Play the sap... big puppy eyes! If you go in looking all tough and confident, you may find yourself being confidently poked and prodded by a girl whose first week it is on the job. If you look vulnerable they will call you "sweetie" and treat you very gently, calling in the pro if need be much earlier on in the piece.
- Avert your eyes, don't close them... Nobody wants to see their blood being taken from their own arm (gah!). Closing your eyes though can make you feel woozy and more sensitive to touch. Much better to count the out-of-date posters on the wall.
- Big deep slow calm breaths... I learnt this today actually. My phlebotomist told me that this helps the blood flow. Could have been a pacifying lie, but either way it was very calming.
- Don't get cranky when they need to take the needle out and do it again... Phlebotomy is not a precise art. It's very tricky and even the best of phlebotomists can need a few tries at some tricky veins. The more patient and considerate you are the nicer they will be to you, and more importantly, gentler!
Well, those are my tips. Live long and prosper.
Note: I love it when they call you "sweetie".
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