Imaging tech here.
If I can tell someone is nervous about the needle, I will ask if they want a 1-2-3, or just do it. Most of them say just do it. I've had people look away or babble on about nothing in particular. Whatever helps.
I've had both ends of the extreme. From patients who say they're a hard stick when they've got a garden hose running through their arm all the way to one poor lady who took 8 techs/nurses (all of whom tried at least twice) over an hour to get a line in. That was way fun, let me tell you.
A warm washcloth helps, as does letting the limb in question hang down so gravity can assist. Also, the type of needle/IV set you're using can have a huge effect on if you actually get in the vein. My favorite are the angio caths. The butterfly ones, IMO, aren't as good. They are especially flimsy (I've missed more often with those than the bayonet angios). Though the butterflies used strictly for blood draws aren't bad. They're just really sharp so it's easy to go right through the vein. Right now, my facility uses the these crappy things and I hate them. They splatter and I'm not convinced they're safe for preventing accidental needle sticks.
TL;DR, depending on what needles you're using, there's a learning curve. So if you're having trouble with a particular kind and you have access to a different one, try it.
And if you have coworkers who are willing to let you practice on them, take advantage of it. I have good veins, so I don't mind the students practicing on me. Blood draws/IV starts really are more of an art than a science.
Even with a simple blood draw, I'd see if I could get the port accessed. Those things are a godsend both for patients with crappy veins and the tech/nurse who otherwise would have to keep poking them.
Yunno, I'm not needle-phobic or anything, but nobody is coming at my jugular with a needle.
Quoth Miss Maple Leaf
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Quoth kpzra
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A warm washcloth helps, as does letting the limb in question hang down so gravity can assist. Also, the type of needle/IV set you're using can have a huge effect on if you actually get in the vein. My favorite are the angio caths. The butterfly ones, IMO, aren't as good. They are especially flimsy (I've missed more often with those than the bayonet angios). Though the butterflies used strictly for blood draws aren't bad. They're just really sharp so it's easy to go right through the vein. Right now, my facility uses the these crappy things and I hate them. They splatter and I'm not convinced they're safe for preventing accidental needle sticks.
TL;DR, depending on what needles you're using, there's a learning curve. So if you're having trouble with a particular kind and you have access to a different one, try it.
And if you have coworkers who are willing to let you practice on them, take advantage of it. I have good veins, so I don't mind the students practicing on me. Blood draws/IV starts really are more of an art than a science.
Quoth trailerparkmedic
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Quoth trailerparkmedic
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