My project was a phlebotomy class that taught venipuncture technique to certify participants nationally so they can gain a career in healthcare. I went to class every Saturday for 6 weeks and learned all the information about what a phlebotomist does along with practicing the technique of blood collection and handling.
I realized I was capable of venipuncture and able to help a patient along in their care by being someone that was willing to have a conversation and really connect with your patient. I also found out how complex it is to collect patient samples which will help me later also since I am on track to become a medical laboratory scientist. The experience of drawing another person’s blood and having my own drawn really gave me empathy for others and for future patients. It also gave me insight into what a patient who has had lots of blood collections goes through and how to best accommodate them.
One of the most influential events was completing my first draw on another person. On the first day of class, we learned about what phlebotomists did and all the steps that go into specimen collection. After our break we started practicing on fake supplies but by the end of class everyone was going to draw on someone. I had partnered up with another classmate and had found the vein I wanted to use and went through the process of drawing blood. While I didn’t get a good draw it really impacted how I saw the field and showed me how I want to treat patients in the future. When it was my turn, the classmate I was partnered with found a vein and got a good sample. This experience really impacted me because I now knew both sides of blood collection and knew what it meant to have someone who was talking to me throughout the draw and explaining everything they were doing to help ease my nerves.
I was also able to learn from a phlebotomist that had been in the field for a long time, and she was able to share personal experiences of complications and successes. She elaborated on things that you can’t learn from a book and showed us what it was like to be a good phlebotomist for your patient. She walked us though what to do in complications or if our patient almost passes out. She also told us how conversations are super helpful not only for us but also for our patients and how it can make them feel like they have more control. She highlighted how important it was to talk to your patient and really hear them if they are telling you something. She also demonstrated everything for us and gave us her hands to work on so she could help us through the steps if we were struggling.
One experience that really showed me how important communication with the patient is was when I had a nerve get hit in my hand. We were practicing our draws like usual and it was one of the days that we practiced a lot so we all had been stuck many times. I was partnered up and got my draws done so it was now my turn to have my blood drawn. While my partner was trying to draw from my hand, she let me know how nervous she was, I talked her through where my veins were in my hand and where I knew they had been successful before. When she went to collect, I knew she had hit a nerve and I let her know. We followed the protocol for when this happens and she withdrew the needle and cleaned up after the draw. However, the nerve she hit caused me pain the rest of the week. I had trouble with writing and taking notes in classes because of the nerve pain. This really showed me how much we can hurt a patient even if we don’t mean to. There is nothing we as phlebotomists can do to prevent nerve sticks, but we can be sure to stop the draw as soon as we know about the pain and help our patient by giving proper guidance on what to do if it happens. This experience really showed me that even after I get my needle in the patient, I need to continue to communicate with them and monitor how they are feeling so that I don’t accidentally harm them during the draw.
The change is significant because it really showed me how to best handle patients in the future and it gave me a better understanding of how venipuncture is performed. This will help me as a medical laboratory scientist to extend grace and understanding to those who collect the samples I will work with. This experience also solidified that I want to go into the healthcare field and that I will be able to perform tests on patients and enjoy my job. Not only did going through the classes give me an idea of what is to come once I graduate but it also gives me the opportunity to work as a phlebotomist now if I choose. Overall, this experience changed me for the better and was one of the most rewarding things I have done.
