True Tales of Medical School: Learning to Draw Blood
Filed under: Medicine
When I interviewed at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, one of the things that most impressed me was this enormous room filled with a variety of anatomical mannequins. I had been worried about learning how to draw blood and perform other procedures on frail old ladies, but clearly this room was the answer to my concern: we would learn on mannequins.
Of course, I was wrong. We only used that room once, and then just for the OB practical exam. On the other hand, we didn’t have to learn to draw blood on little old ladies; we learned on each other.
In the middle of our second year of medical school, it was time for us to learn to draw blood. A full six-hour Glucose Tolerance Test was to be run on every student, and we were going to draw the blood for the test ourselves. A glucose tolerance test is an older test used to diagnose diabetes or similar problems with sugar metabolism. It is used most commonly in pregnant women in their second trimester to test for gestational diabetes. A standard sugar load is ingested and then the blood sugar level determined at regular intervals afterwards.
The class was divided into thirds; the first third went Monday, the second, Tuesday, and the third on Wednesday. As usual, I ended up in the first group.
Early Monday morning we showed up at the second floor histology lab. We were given a glass of Glucola to drink based on our weight. Glucola is this sickly sweet syrupy beverage that gives a specific sugar load. Ours was this cloying root beer flavor and was one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever had to drink. It took all my effort not to gag, but I managed to get it down.
An hour later, and then every half-hour after that, we had a tube of blood drawn. We would take turns and draw blood from each other. Watching the other students, you quickly learned who you wanted, or more importantly did not want, to draw your blood.
The first draws were the hardest. My classmate would rest their arm on the table, and I’d wrap a rubber tourniquet around the upper arm. They’d pump their fist a few times to make the arm veins stand out. I’d poke around with my finger to make sure I found a good vein that wouldn’t move or roll on me. I’d swipe the skin with an alcohol swab to kill any germs. Taking a needle and a vial, I’d carefully slide the needle into the vein and pop the vial onto the back of the needle. Once the blood was flowing well, I removed the tourniquet so they wouldn’t get a large hematoma when the needle was withdrawn. After the tube of blood was full, I carefully pulled the needle out. The needle is razor sharp and can cut the skin fairly deeply if it’s pulled out at the wrong angle. A bandage was applied, the vial was labeled and turned in, and then it was my turn to grit my teeth and be the patient.
The blood draws at the end of the day were easier because I could follow the previous needle marks — just like runway lights — and find the vein easily.
Six hours and eleven blood draws later we were done. We had learned how to draw blood, and would learn the next day whether any of us were diabetic (nope). As I climbed in my car for the drive to my apartment I prayed that no cop would pull me over, because he’d never believe my story about the needle marks up and down both arms.
Drawing blood is not a skill I use frequently. There are trained medical technicians and phlebotomists who do the job much better and quicker. However, there have been situations when labs were needed immediately or when I was the only one available that have made me glad that it’s a skill I possess.
July 8th, 2004 at 7:01 am
This is something kind of makes my skin crawl when I think about me doing it. I want to be one of the “good” guys when doing it. ;)
March 31st, 2007 at 10:15 pm
I guess I should be glad that I was a phlebotomist while an undergrad before I came to med school, eh?
April 18th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
This story illustrates why I prefer the field of computer programming.
June 6th, 2007 at 8:50 am
I guess every med student has a horror story about drawing blood. In my case, when it was my turn to be the patient, my classmate forgot to remove the torniquet. :)
June 7th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
Drawing blood has to be the weirdest thing. I can’t stand doing it but having it done is ok.
My father has to be the worst though. A doctor, he can’t stand needles (to get a shot, he has to lie on a bed and almost be held there). When he was going through school, he had a guy draw his blood – and as soon as Dad saw the vial of his own blood, fainted.
He still gets hassled for it now, at 53
July 21st, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Our med school also had us learn phlebotomy by practicing on each other. In a way, it wasn’t too bad because most of my class were young and relatively athletic, meaning that finding their rope-like veins with a 20G was like trying to place a penpoint onto the surface of a gardenhose (hyperbole, but you get the idea). I really learned how to be a deent (or at least mildly competent) phlebotomist at the VA, where the age and multiple hospitalizations of most of the patients mean their veins had collapsed and deflated until cannulating them was akin to playing blindman’s bluff. Thankfully, years of hardship and dealing with interns had instilled most of them with incredible knowledge of their own anatomy, saint-surpassing patience, and a pain threshold far beyond that of mere mortal men. “Yer almos’ thar…jus’ angle the needle a lil’ deeper and to the lef’”… amazing.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
dude, you had it easy, in my paramedic class we had to start IVs on each other, and we were told not be the most “pleasant” of patients. i wish we had it that easy!
November 30th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
My M.A. class has been in the lab drawing blood this past week. Myself and some others got it on the first try, but some seem to be clueless to the procedure. I really envy the three pregnant women in the class because they are not allowed to get there blood drawn but they get to poke as many people as the want. Oh the joy of not having someone wipe you with alcohol then poke you with a butterfly in the front of your hand without wiping the alcohol off or letting it dry first.
December 8th, 2007 at 7:44 am
rolling veins are a myth made up by medical students ;)
January 18th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I’m a Medical Assistant myself and i assure you that doing blood draws was not my favorite, especially when it came down to letting someone draw blood from me. However,i foundd that i loved drawing blood,and the more i watch other peoples technique the better i got myself.I am now a phlebotomist doing what i feel i was born to do.
mah
February 4th, 2008 at 2:48 am
You forgot to including useful details like students fainting, which happened in my class, also the incompetent ones that pokes and pokes and until you decide that you don’t want to be the human dart board anymore.
March 19th, 2008 at 1:22 am
As a first year med student I’ve already had that pleasant experience of sitting there infront of a colleague and thinking ‘hurt me and I’ll make it hurt back tenfold when it comes to my chance.’ I honestly don’t mind taking blood from a patient so far, and hopefully that won’t change. In practice though, there really isn’t any attempt whatsoever to let the alcohol dry before the butterfly is inserted.
The most dramatic story I probably have is of a girl fainting in a physiology practical before any blood was even sighted and barely mentioned.
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Hey, good story;) We’re doing venipuncture now (I’m a first year med student.) I’m lucky I have someone outside school to practice on. But either way, I got a vein on a pretty hard patient (my fellow classmate) rather fast. I actually enjoy this the most. My male classmates don’t agree.
September 1st, 2008 at 12:59 am
Ick. Some people need to take that class again – the last time I was hospitalized, they woke me every morning to draw blood, and one particular morning, the nurse I had was entirely incompetant. I’d had my blood drawn every morning for the past four days to check if the new meds were at a correct dosage (or something), so I know it shouldn’t have been so difficult, but she had to stick me about four times before she gave up trying to find the vein and got another nurse.
October 31st, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Being a medical assistant i also had to learn phlebotomy, and we also learned on each other. The scariest thought was the first day of class and knowing that the person with the butterfly needle set in their hand knows exactly as much as you did, which was not much fun luckily i have a very high pain threshold….and although i love drawing blood now, my current job we don’t draw in the office…
January 10th, 2009 at 4:51 am
It appears that you are all learning valuable experiences with your blood draws and understanding the patients feelings. I believe you will be more informed, professional and compassionate towards their (patients and others) needs.
The funs only starting..next arterial blood gases!!
Good luck to all of you!!
Dave RRT-NPS
January 21st, 2009 at 5:07 pm
The nimble can cautiously try self-phlebotomy to perfect their technique. I occasionally practice on myself to internalize the pain sensations associated with my technique. I find it easiest to use a syringe instead of the BD tubes when working single-handed, and a nearby non-queasy friend to pop the tourniquet off after entering the vein to avoid much bruising or hematoma.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Fancy things. We do it the good ol’ fashioned way, needle and syringe. No vacuum to help us out.
I’m good at it though.
July 27th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I am scared to draw blood but I am trying to overcome this fear so I can accomplish my goals.
September 18th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Try drawing blood on a cat or dog.
November 25th, 2009 at 2:35 am
After reading this I can’t wait for medical school!!
December 1st, 2009 at 11:22 am
I am about to start phleobotomy classes next week and in reading these comments…..I can’t wait to start. I have ALWAYS wanted to learn how! I am 50 and it’s NEVER to LATE to learn!!
December 4th, 2009 at 12:11 am
I have an interview tomorrow for a phlebotomy position. It has been my goal for three years to do this…I have been a CNA waiting for my opportunity. Drawing blood is a skill that takes patience, CONCERN for the patient, and a continued desire to learn (because everybody’s body and veins are different). Wish me luck!
March 24th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
I am currently in the phlebotomy class from hell. I have not had too many problems drawing blood, myself, and I try to be understanding with those having a hard time. After all, we aren’t going to die from a blood draw.
I have several complaints about this class. The instructor was not even going to demonstrate a blood draw…she just told us to find a vein and go for it! I insisted she demonstrate on me. She only demonstrated a hub draw and told us to use a butterfly for the hand and a syringe draw on the hand or ante-cubital area, that it’s not much different from what she just showed us with the hub draw. So we get to it. Most of the class is extremely well fed, if you get my meaning. Very hard to find veins and asking for assistance from the instructor is difficult as she is always either out of the class or busy doing inventory in the supply room. We are pretty much on our own. Needless to say, there are lots of hematomas, and unsuccessful blood draws (something else people won’t die from).
Then there are the ones who have thrown their own class under the bus by complaining about all the bruises and pain they have endured, so much so, that the whole school has heard and we have can recruit no volunteers. The crybabies won’t let anyone work on them and whine when no one will let them draw blood because of their attitude.
How do you deal with this? We have a minimum number of sticks to complete by the end of the class (75), a quarter of the class no one wants to stick because of their lack of brain to mouth filters, half the class has fat buried veins and the rest of us look like we’ve been pummeled, poked and beaten about the arms and hands because we are the only ones willing to be stuck because we have easily seen veins.
I am looking at my feet thinking that, hey…I can do myself before class, bring in the vials and get signed off. I have a 4.6 grade average, have never cheated, but here I am thinking hard about cheating. What would you do??? (I have no family here, they are in another state, and, really, all my friends are in the same position as I).
April 24th, 2010 at 5:50 pm
“The nimble can cautiously try self-phlebotomy to perfect their technique.”
One time when I was sick I stuck myself for a CBC. Needle sticks hurt but when you’re sick they hurt worse. I ended up making myself cry. Then I got mad at myself for making myself cry . . .
June 2nd, 2010 at 10:37 pm
I am starting medical assistant school this fall and to be honest the only thing I am worried about is drawing blood and sticking people. I don’t get quesy but do get creeped out thinking about me doing it….I don’t mind being poked. Any advice?
June 15th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
i want to learn how draw blood because i need a job to maintenance myself please
October 12th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
I was a phlebotomist for 7 yrs at a major metropolitan hospital in Missouri. Not to blow my own horn, but I was pretty good. Had many “repeat customers” (oncology, dialysis, etc) who, whenever possible, scheduled their appointments to days they thought I might be working. This was both a blessing and a curse, believe me! Probably the hardest task in a phlebotomist’s agenda, I think, is to have to get a vein stick from a young child whose parent(s) are criticizing your every breath, even though you’ve been doing this for quite some time, and on many, many children and other patients prior to theirs. (I am a parent, so I do know what it’s like having medical procedures done on your child)
We had a Medical Technologist school there, and the students had a week or so where they would follow us on our rounds, and would draw each other with our supervision. I have pretty good veins, so I would frequently let them do me.
The whole “rolling veins” thing pretty much is a myth, imho, as a phlebotomist, you just have to know what you’re feeling for, and have a knack for hitting that tiny, pinhead-size spot that you feel waaaaaaaaaay doooooooooown deeeeeeep (ok, it just seems that way when you’re looking for veins on a 5-ft tall, 500 lb woman/man who says “it’s right there, that’s where they always get it”.
If you’re phleb…… you know exactly what I’m talking about!
October 15th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
I’m currently training to be a Medical Laboratory Assistant and actually performed my first “real” veinpuncture today. I’ve had plenty of practice on the dummy arm with great success, but I was scared to death of trying on a classmate. The dreaded day arrived today, and I’m ecstatic to say that I got blood first try :) For anyone who has anxiety about their first draw, you’ll be surprised how quickly your nerves dissolve one you see that first tube fill.
October 26th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
I’m in MA school. Started blood draws last week, on each other. We need 10 syringe draws, 10 vacutainer draws, and 5 butterfly draws. I’m three for three so far: one butterfly to the hand and two syringe draws to the AC.
Today I had to dig for my butterfly and left school feeling very uneasy about that. My son is a paramedic and allowed me to practice on him this afternoon: six pokes, only 2 successful. I came home, went straight to bed and cried for three hours.
Tonight I’m raw from anxiety about continuing my blood draws. I feel like a failure. I’m scared. I’m bruised and hurting. I don’t want to be poked anymore and I sure as hell don’t want to poke anyone else.
I’m gonna do some ride time on the ambulance, to try to get my confidence back up watching the medics’ techniques. I’m taking some xanax. I’ve got to get past this somehow. Thanks for listening.
December 2nd, 2010 at 9:54 am
my little sis is in school and she up to the phlebotomy class the problem is that she only has one hand is there a way she can draw blood? am a pusher i dont let her give up easy so if anybody know what i can do to help her learn pleas let me know
April 22nd, 2011 at 12:47 am
rolling veins are not a myth i see them every day!
November 8th, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Hah! I must’ve been a phlebotomist in a past life!
I’ve always loved to watch when my blood was drawn for tests in the hospital- strange, right?
I’m in a high-school pre-veterinary class and we had to draw blood on a shot dummy AND a dead rat for final exams- and was the only one to get it on the first try w/out ‘killing’ their patient!
They now call me ‘Quick Draw McGraw’ :P
Leave a Reply
Contact Me
About
Subscribe:
The Best Of...
Special Topics
Archives
Categories
Twitter
See Also
Comic Blogs
Medical/Science Blogs
Currently Reading
Arbitrarily Interesting Medical Condition
Syndrome
The Net:
Contents may have settled during shipping. Past results are no guarantee of future performance. No animals were harmed during the production of this product. Void where prohibited by law. All rights reserved. Not valid with other offers or specials. Professional driver on a closed track. Your financial institution may impose other fees. All models are over 18 years of age. Employees must wash hands before returning to work. Results not typical. Many suitcases look alike. 18% gratuity added to tables of six or more.
Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.
© 2004-2012 Polite Dissent. Powered by WordPress