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I was recently hired for night shift (3am draws). 95% of the patients in my unit are elderly, dehydrated, paper thin skin with veins smaller than my smaller butterfly. The nurses draw from the lines and they get rejected for hemolysis (and watching them do so I can see why). So, then I have to draw. I feel terrible trying to find somewhere to draw on them especially when the tourniquet tears their skin and the vein immediately blows. It would be fantastic if I could use this device!!
I have had blood test normal needles at the hospital with no problem, today I went to a clinic with butterfly needle and almost passed out, they struggled to get the 3rd sample. And it was more painful. My blood pressure went low. Not sure I can go back there for 2nd attempt
I have patients request a butterfly all the time. I wish I would give them a butterfly....a dragonfly maybe. I'm honest with the patients and let them know at $1.25!!!!.... that cuts into to money so suck it up. Sure its build into the insurance already but if we use butterflies, welp...instead of $100, now minus $1.25...that's $98.75 profit. My boss just bought a 3rd Mercedes and money is tight!!! Plus the higher ups get divorced and someone has to pay for that and using a butterfly cuts into the profits. I told one patient I'd stick him in the ding ding if he asked again. We got a 2% raise, using a butterfly lessens that!!
This has happened to me multiple times. I've always had issues with nurses having issues getting blood out of me. They blame my veins. They have me pump my fists vigorously and low and behold Potassium levels off the scale. Of course I was lucky enough to just find this video. Getting retested tomorrow.
If my patient wants a butterfly he's gonna get a butterfly. I don't know why phlebotomists want to convince them not to. I don't care. I'll use what my patient prefers. It's pretty rare that they request butterflies anyway
This video touches me so very deeply. I am a phlebotomy instructor and on the last day of school. I have my students watch this. During the course I can teach how to obtain quality samples, the special handling of specimens, and the ethics involved with the vast responsibility of a phlebotomist. The one thing that I can’t teach, it has to come from within is the heart to care for others. This video truly outlines the care taken and the specialty of our field.
I’m a person with pretty bad trypanophobia. I literally almost passed out during my first blood draw because I was absolutely overwhelmed with anxiety. I’ve gotten blood draws from both the crook of the elbow and my hand, and for some reason I have a much easier time anxiety-wise getting a draw through my hand as apposed to my arm. I don’t outright request butterfly needles, but I do ask for providers to go through my hand instead as it really helps the anxiety and helps with the whole nausea and passing out process. Is it possible for the technician to go through my hand with any needle instead of JUST the butterfly needle? I don’t care about what they use, it’s just the location I’m worried about.
Hello and GM I am a CPT I work with geriatric, adolescent and all other PT's at a neighborhood PSC and wanted to know if you thought a 21g butterfly needle was to big for a dorsal hand draw in certain situations ? I recently had a PT present for a lab only visit no veins in the anti cubital region were cooperating so I moved to the hand where I found nice size veins which I believed would supported the needle set, I chose the gauge because I needed to fill 5 tubes and 23 and 25 gauges tend to clot especially with dorsal hand venipunctures would you agree with my synapses or would you have chosen a different gauge?
I've been told by a nurse for my veins, I need to ask for a butterfly for the future so I don't end up with tracks and bruises on my arms. Apparently my veins are hard to find.
It not only increases k levels, it also increases other levels in the blood as well. As for clenching your fist, I don’t allow patients to do this either as it can clamp down on the vein. It’s important to make sure patients understand the importance of hydration prior to having a blood test. Unfortunately most people these days are not well hydrated leading to vasoconstriction.
This is helpful more phlebotomist should learn. As well as patient. This just happened tome. I worked in a different dept at a hospital but it was very common for the patient to be asked. Not initiate. They even used stress balls for patience to squeeze. I get tested 2 -3 times a year. Coulle days ago a young plebotomyst had me pump. 1.30 that night i get a urgent call saying potassium levels high. Get to the emergency room quickly if anything feels off.. go back and get new bloodwork. I did. I advisdd this girl what happened. Today my results were normal. I refused to even clinch my fist. This is scary for a patient thinking they could have cardiac arrest. In my state at least not long ago. We trained housekeepers, cafeteria workers etc. No type of school required. One day a girl was making me a sandwich and notblong after drawing my blood. Painfully. All plebotomy staff should require testing and licensing in all states. False results could cost someone a life. No one may ever find out why. Anyway it's scary. I will never allow them to have me do this again. I know from working in the hospital labs often have issues. Many are covered up. Thats fact ive witnessed. Get a second test anytime you question results. ✌️
"Why should the patient get to tell you what to use for YOUR procedure?" dude they're MY veins y'all keep blowing what do you want me to do? After 20 years I'm out of good veins cuz of these "professionals".
I know this is just a skit, but as a current phlebotomist in training, this made me so angry and is enough to trigger anxiety just watching and what makes it sad is that there are people actually like this. It’s disgusting and unacceptable 😡😔💯
What if there's a lot of pain, and now it hurts so bad to even turn my arm, and they didn't remove it and took the blood anyways been 4 days now and still hurts really badly
Just walked out of a lab today when the tech said she didn't have a butterfly. Nope. Not going to be intimidated, bullied, ignored, patronized, hurt, bruised, etc., because the phlebotomist is more comfortable using a straight needle or because of the corporate bottom line. I know what works better for me.
Thank you, thank you soooooo much. You are the answer to my prayers. I just graduated last year and I was wondering about that same question and dilemma, posed by that lady. I now know how to proceed 😊
