Join for free
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >
MargaretF
Senior Member
MargaretF is offline
Northamptonshire, UK
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 410
MargaretF is female  MargaretF has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
11-10-2019, 10:12 AM
1

Blood tests

Twice in the last week and a half I have been to the surgery for a blood test and each time the phlebotomist has not been able to draw any blood. This has never happened to me before and I have had many blood tests in my life.

The first time she said that I was dehydrated and to drink plenty of water before my next appointment. I did exactly that, even though I find it difficult to drink too much water I drank about 2 pints a day throughout the day. I then drank one and a half pints before my appointment this morning - to no avail. I now have to go to the hospital for a blood test.

The gentleman that went in before me this morning came out with a similar problem - I heard him talking to the receptionist. I am now wondering whether the young phlebotomist is too inexperienced ...

Has anyone one here had this particular problem with blood tests?
Purwell
Chatterbox
Purwell is offline
North Herts, England
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 6,576
Purwell is male  Purwell has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
11-10-2019, 10:17 AM
2

Re: Blood tests

When I was younger they could always find a vein easily but the last couple of years they have struggled to find one.
Silver Tabby's Avatar
Silver Tabby
Chatterbox
Silver Tabby is offline
God's own county!
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 24,659
Silver Tabby is female  Silver Tabby has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
11-10-2019, 10:18 AM
3

Re: Blood tests

Yes - I have. I have deep veins so it is always difficult for them - but - because they seem to fumble it and make such a mess of my arms I no longer go to to the GP surgery for blood tests.

Our local ASDA has a small blood taking clinic - staffed by hospital phlebotomists and I have never had a problem with them. You will probably fair better at the hospital, Margaret. They are quicker and more efficient.
susiejaeger's Avatar
susiejaeger
Chatterbox
susiejaeger is offline
Essex, UK
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 18,871
susiejaeger is female  susiejaeger has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
11-10-2019, 10:23 AM
4

Re: Blood tests

Yes it sounds like the Phlebotomist at your GP Surgery is to blame, obviously not very experienced at doing this, especially when someone else is having a problem.
Lion Queen
Chatterbox
Lion Queen is offline
UK
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 9,592
Lion Queen is female  Lion Queen has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
11-10-2019, 10:24 AM
5

Re: Blood tests

apparently my veins hide and collapse when they are trying to get blood but I have noticed one particular nurse in the practice can never get the blood yet another (who I always go to now) always manages to get it.
Also that same nurse who can't get the blood always makes a mess of my arms.
Ask for another nurse in the practice, it could be she is inexperienced as you say.
MargaretF
Senior Member
MargaretF is offline
Northamptonshire, UK
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 410
MargaretF is female  MargaretF has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
11-10-2019, 10:49 AM
6

Re: Blood tests

Thank you all for your the responses - I was beginning to think that a vampire had visited me during the night and drained my blood!

The phlebotomist at our surgery is from the hospital and visits the surgery 3 times a week, the surgery nurses don't do these blood tests. There has always been a difficulty in finding my veins because they seem quite deep but I have never had the experience of not being able to get blood at all and was beginning to worry until I heard the gentleman talking to the receptionist.

I haven't heard about the ASDA blood clinic Silver Tabby - I don't know whether there is one at our ASDA. I shall visit the hospital tomorrow morning to get it done there I think - apparently they are open at 7 am until 12-30 on Saturdays so an early rise for me I think.
Mups's Avatar
Mups
Chatterbox
Mups is offline
Northamptonshire
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 46,083
Mups is female  Mups has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
11-10-2019, 12:40 PM
7

Re: Blood tests

Originally Posted by susiejaeger ->
Yes it sounds like the Phlebotomist at your GP Surgery is to blame, obviously not very experienced at doing this, especially when someone else is having a problem.


That's what I thought too, Susie.
Julie1962
Chatterbox
Julie1962 is offline
Surrey
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 42,846
Julie1962 is female  Julie1962 has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
11-10-2019, 12:55 PM
8

Re: Blood tests

We have two nurses and a phlebotomist part time at our surgery. The phlebotomist manages to get blood with no pain and we all like going to see her. One of the nurses is Ok with me and the kids, but has huge problems with my husband. The other nurse we avoid like the plague she stabs and stabs hurting and bruising us all. Usually ends up sending us home to rebook with another staff member. We have a note on all our notes saying not to give us appointments with her, looking on line at reviews we are not alone. She can't get my blood pressure either and managed to cause my husbands flu jab to go into his finger rather than upper arm.

Some good blood takers and some should never be allowed near a patient.
Lion Queen
Chatterbox
Lion Queen is offline
UK
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 9,592
Lion Queen is female  Lion Queen has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
11-10-2019, 12:57 PM
9

Re: Blood tests

Originally Posted by Julie1962 ->
We have two nurses and a phlebotomist part time at our surgery. The phlebotomist manages to get blood with no pain and we all like going to see her. One of the nurses is Ok with me and the kids, but has huge problems with my husband. The other nurse we avoid like the plague she stabs and stabs hurting and bruising us all. Usually ends up sending us home to rebook with another staff member. We have a note on all our notes saying not to give us appointments with her, looking on line at reviews we are not alone. She can't get my blood pressure either and managed to cause my husbands flu jab to go into his finger rather than upper arm.

Some good blood takers and some should never be allowed near a patient.
Eh? How did she manage that
Mups's Avatar
Mups
Chatterbox
Mups is offline
Northamptonshire
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 46,083
Mups is female  Mups has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
11-10-2019, 01:08 PM
10

Re: Blood tests

Originally Posted by Julie1962 ->
We have two nurses and a phlebotomist part time at our surgery. The phlebotomist manages to get blood with no pain and we all like going to see her. One of the nurses is Ok with me and the kids, but has huge problems with my husband. The other nurse we avoid like the plague she stabs and stabs hurting and bruising us all. Usually ends up sending us home to rebook with another staff member. We have a note on all our notes saying not to give us appointments with her, looking on line at reviews we are not alone. She can't get my blood pressure either and managed to cause my husbands flu jab to go into his finger rather than upper arm.

Some good blood takers and some should never be allowed near a patient.


There is one woman at our blood clinic who I refuse to see anymore, Julie.
She is rough and always hurts me. The last time she took blood from me I had a huge bruise come up the width of my arm, from edge to edge.

No other nurses have ever had a problem and do not hurt or bruise me. So techniques definitely vary and some people are better than others.

How did your useless one manage to do a flu jab in hubby's finger? Was he waving his arm about?
 
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >

Thread Tools


© Copyright 2009, Over50sForum   Contact Us | Over 50s Forum! | Archive | Privacy Statement | Terms of Use | Top

Powered by vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.