Nurse unable to draw blood - tips for tiny veins?

grum

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Just seen this entry about blood taking on recent email from diabetes uk. Seems there are quite alot of us that don't wish to part with our blood too easily! All suggestions made are correct from the drinking water, to keeping warm, I even wore a thick hoodie to make sure arms were kept warm, (this is summer) however, after waiting and getting very hot, it took three tries to get the blood out, needed the 'special' needle, fairy needle tiny and works every time. As a blood donor had same problem, bloodless in one arm! Never worked this one out, wonder if anyone knows why this happens. Anyway, my glucose result was ok likewise all other areas carried out from the one test.
 
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I have had this problem forever. Once when I was inpatient in the hospital, they had put an iv in the main vein in the crook of my arm, which if anyone knows, is the worst place for an iv! Especially if you're going to have to have it for any length of time. You're alarm will go off constantly, and you'll never get any rest at all. So i asked that they move it, and after sticking me in almost every vein i have, they finally called for a more experienced nurse who was able to move the iv. I asked them to let me do it myself, but they were very against that, although i know that I could have gotten it very quickly. Another time, going into surgery, i went in with my iv half way in, half out, because they weren't able to get it in correctly. And blood draws, I've learned to tell the phlebotemist exactly how to get my blood. This really hels if you are aware of the best way to get the needle in. I've had so many surgeries, and blood draws, that I'm pretty much an expert now.
 

Tophat1900

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Cold weather and dehydration will hide them. Blood drawing Inexperience will also make it hard. I have good spots for taking it and always suggest they use them and I point them out. Usually no problems, inexperienced drawers will sometimes ignore what you say and that often ends in failure. Then they use what you pointed out and wow, they got it no problem.
 
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Angelofthemarches

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I am also a nurse - was not great at drawing blood so really had to practice and study it!! Ask the nurse/phlebotomist to always use a butterfly needle (the tiny kind). This will maximise chances. Also re keeping warm etc, ask if you can sit with your hands/lower arms in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes - if necessary bring a big plastic bowl yourself! Tell them at the start you think you might have veins which are difficult to access - they might produce their 'best' phlebotomist.
 

Goonergal

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I have the same problem. Usually they get it out of my hand after a few goes at the arm. Once in hospital they tried my foot. Cannulas are even worse, and last time I was in hospital they had to get an anaesthetist to do it.
 
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Oldman1952

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Hi there everyone, if you don't give up your blood easily there have been quite a few posts giving great advice. Is there any walkers, fishermen/ladies or golfers? On a particularly cold windy day you can have very cold numb hands and fingers. Can I suggest hand warmers around the site of the venipuncture. It opens up the veins like the warm water soak or warm compresses, flannels with nice quite warmer than usual. There is one other method of helping the veins to dilate and that is GTN gel (Glyceryl Tri Nitrate). We used to use it when we were collecting blood donations with the larger 19g needles. Best regards Oldman1952
 

berylc

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My sister was a donated blood only once about 40 yrs ago. Taking the blood was no problem, the problem came after she had her cup of tea and a biscuit. She stood up to go home, promptly fainted and wet herself!!!! Needless to say she has never given blood again!
 
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Providence 62

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I have the same problem and used to dread blood tests. Now I have my phlebotomist trained things are much better. Drink lots of water before you go to the test and walk as much as you can on the way. Tell the phlebotomist to try taking the the blood out of the back of your hand with a small (child's) butterfly - he/she will know what you mean. When they put the needle in, wiggle your toes. Tell them this is the easiest way for you if this works and DO NOT let them stab around. You are as entitled to a comfortable blood test as anyone else.

Best of luck,

P
xxx
 
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smag3

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I am a Registered Nurse and have a lot of experience drawing blood. Dehydration is a huge factor for missed sticks... Some people even when hydrated are still just naturally difficult sticks. They either have tiny tiny veins, very deep veins, or are edematous which gives added difficulty. I consider myself an expert at blood drawing and will recommend getting an illumivein vein finder to anyone who is a hard stick. It's $25 and well worth the small price.... You can ask anyone drawing your blood to use it to help them locate the best vein. Honestly I use it when ever I can't find a good vein and it is successful every single time.

Oh my goodness I need one of these in my life! Are they available in the uk at all?
 

PattiT

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I have the same problem - once the hospital had to draw blood from the big vein on the top of my foot. That was painful. Sorry, no tips :(
 

ickihun

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Yes hydrate, keep moving as much as possible whilst waiting to be called in.
I now know why the phlebotomists are located on the top floor of the hospitals. To get your blood flowing nicely!
 
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Robbity

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I'm left handed and normally ask for my my blood to be taken from my right arm - which will always happily donate my blood without any problem. Last time for some reason we were going to use my left arm instead, and the nurse just could not get any blood out of it at all -my veins are actually much less visible and obviously quite unwilling to co-operate, so I suggested we just swapped over to my right arm because that would work, and all went well. (Though I think she thought at first I was a bit nuts!)

She did ask if I was dehydrated - which I wasn't - I always drink enough to sink a ship anyway, it was just the wrong arm! :wideyed::D

I have noticed though that some of the girls are much better at drawing blood than others: this last one left me with a whopping great bruise, but with some others I can never actually see that they've "stabbed" me....

Robbity
 
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Daphne917

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They usually take 3 attempts in each arm before they can get my blood! My sister in law us a phlebotomist and when she looked at my veins she said she was glad she didn't have to take my blood!
 

miahara

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Ha, I had my HbA1c test a few weeks back and the nurse had three stabs at my right arm before giving up and trying my left arm which worked. She told me I've got wobbly veins :)
 

sofy

Active Member
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Hiya. I went to the GP on Friday and the nurse was to draw 4 vials of blood. She was unable to find a vein. She tried all her tricks to get a vein to appear. She asked me if I had drank any water while fasting and I replied that I hadn't. I have another appointment tomorrow. She said to drink a glass of water before coming to the appointment.

Has this happened to anyone before and are there any other tips/tricks to get my veins to pop out a bit more?

Also, she said if she was unable to draw blood tomorrow, that I could go to the hospital to have it done. What would they do differently there?

Lastly, when the GP told me I was going to have blood work done, she listed several things they would be testing. I think she said blood glucose, liver, kidney - maybe something else? Thyroid? Does anyone know what is standard for these tests?

Thank you!
I do every time ,but I am overweight this doesn't help .iam trying to lose weight as I am diabetic and I too drink water before I go for test .I dnt think it helped much .still cudnt get it ,but in the end she did xx phew xx
 

sofy

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Hi Fallagal & everyone else. I'm a bit late replying to this but I thought I should share for the benefit of anyone else as well . I work in a hospital and also take blood and pop cannulas in, even for hospital staff it can be difficult, but there are more tools and different types of needles and tactics that we can use to be able to obtain the sample. Obviously dehydration or low blood pressure can make vein puncture extremly difficult, especially if someone is usually difficult in the first place. In general you need to keep warm, try wearing a glove/pair of gloves, you could even wear them for the procedure as the phlebotomist or blood taker will mostly go in the upper arm, but the glove will help to keep ur arm warm. Also with a tourniquet on lower ur arm down beside you and off the chair for a minute and open and close ur fist/hand repeatedly which will hopefully (usually works) bring the veins up to the surface, at this time the phleb or blood taker can search for the vein to reduce the amount of time the tourniquet stays on (as this can cause bruising). Feel around the centre crevess part of your arm for that bouncy vein, it may even feel like a pimple size (which I have found with some people, that's its just a small spot area where a very small part of the vein has come to the surface), the way to test its a vein and not a tendon or anything else is to keep ur finger on that part and release the tourniquet, if it goes down (the vein, deflating feeling) then it's a vein! Other things are filling up a rubber glove or bag with warm water and applying to the area for 5mins and trying again. Also ask if the blood taker has a butterfly needle preferably 23G size, they have a smaller thin needle and with a extension tube (flexible) connected to it that goes to a thing called a vacutainer which u apply the blood taking bottles to. It's great for control of the needle and delicate as can possibly be for ur vein.
I hope this becomes help to any of you out there as I am only trying to help and give the best advice I can from my experience. I don't ever comment on these forums usually.
I tell the nurse a butterfly is best ,but they don't always take any notice and keep jabbing away .one time I nearly past out and started shaking,after about 6 times in different places and she still had to use a butterfly.xx
 

sofy

Active Member
Messages
25
I am a Registered Nurse and have a lot of experience drawing blood. Dehydration is a huge factor for missed sticks... Some people even when hydrated are still just naturally difficult sticks. They either have tiny tiny veins, very deep veins, or are edematous which gives added difficulty. I consider myself an expert at blood drawing and will recommend getting an illumivein vein finder to anyone who is a hard stick. It's $25 and well worth the small price.... You can ask anyone drawing your blood to use it to help them locate the best vein. Honestly I use it when ever I can't find a good vein and it is successful every single time.
asking for that with the N.H.S in U.K is like asking for gold .can u buy it privately