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I'm finally starting to get this job
Jan. 21st, 2005 08:46 pmWhew!
I was so worried the first few days that this phlebotomist job was going to put me waaaaay over my head, but today, things finally started to click. I also did my first stick in about 7 months, which was a touch nerve-wracking, but I did ok and the patient didn't even flinch. My trainer was extremely impressed by that. Even though I started sticking today, I'm already signed off to perform blood cultures on my own. It's not going to happen anytime soon (being on my own, I mean), but it's still nice to know that I'm at least vaguely competent at something.
I handled the easy sticks today (easy being defined as those blood draws that are done on the arm only, not the hand, knuckles, heels, ankles, or any arterial draws). Those will come later. Like next week (gulp!) later. Sigh. The most difficult thing to get used to again is all the friggin' walking. I put in 7.81 miles at work today, according to my pedometer. Oh well, I wanted to lose weight anyway...
My trainer and I did have one emotionally difficult stick today, on a 10 month old kid who really, really needs a new liver. Bad. Like the whites of the kid's eyes were bright yellow due to severe jaundice bad. Like I said, this kid is 10 months old, and already he's learned to be terrified of anyone in a white coat (i.e. phlebotomists). I let my trainer handle that one, the poor child is less than a year old and his veins are crap already from all the blood draws he's had in his short life. I got to hold the kid down while he screamed bloody murder in my right ear. I can't say that I blame him -- I have the same reaction myself when I'm about to get stuck with a needle.
Anyhoo, I've been up since 2:30 this morning, so my ass is really dragging. Time to go to bed.
I was so worried the first few days that this phlebotomist job was going to put me waaaaay over my head, but today, things finally started to click. I also did my first stick in about 7 months, which was a touch nerve-wracking, but I did ok and the patient didn't even flinch. My trainer was extremely impressed by that. Even though I started sticking today, I'm already signed off to perform blood cultures on my own. It's not going to happen anytime soon (being on my own, I mean), but it's still nice to know that I'm at least vaguely competent at something.
I handled the easy sticks today (easy being defined as those blood draws that are done on the arm only, not the hand, knuckles, heels, ankles, or any arterial draws). Those will come later. Like next week (gulp!) later. Sigh. The most difficult thing to get used to again is all the friggin' walking. I put in 7.81 miles at work today, according to my pedometer. Oh well, I wanted to lose weight anyway...
My trainer and I did have one emotionally difficult stick today, on a 10 month old kid who really, really needs a new liver. Bad. Like the whites of the kid's eyes were bright yellow due to severe jaundice bad. Like I said, this kid is 10 months old, and already he's learned to be terrified of anyone in a white coat (i.e. phlebotomists). I let my trainer handle that one, the poor child is less than a year old and his veins are crap already from all the blood draws he's had in his short life. I got to hold the kid down while he screamed bloody murder in my right ear. I can't say that I blame him -- I have the same reaction myself when I'm about to get stuck with a needle.
Anyhoo, I've been up since 2:30 this morning, so my ass is really dragging. Time to go to bed.
