Blood Tests - Buttefly Needles

[mayanorange]

I'm a certified phlebotomist, though I don't do it much. I trained with the ladies in the lab who just stick people for 8 hrs a day. Some of them for some reason get ornery with patients they can't stick like everybody else- and some of them are really good and don't need butterflies even for rolly veins. Some are just ornery because they have to stick people 8hrs a day (not a very appreciated job!) But if you request it, we would do that. There are pluses and minuses to both types of needle- butterflies aren't as long, so if it's truly a deep vein, they might not reach. They also require a bit more coordination. I think the main reason they hurt less is the needle itself it a higher gauge (lower diameter) than standard vacutainer needles.

Best advice is like Knot said- drink lots of water! After my training, I'll look at the veins in the backs of my hands sometimes any they're just shriveled! No way a phlebotomist can get blood if someones that dehydrated. Best to stack the deck in your favor.

Phlebotomists are people- sometimes we miss and we hate when that happens about as much as you do, but it's our job to get the blood and try not to waste too much of your time doing it. And I have been on the receiving end of a horrible phlebotomist when I was really little and didn't understand, so I hate having it done too. I think it makes me better at doing it as painless as possible because I know how much it sucks when it goes wrong.