Venipuncture If u wanna find out more click here. It's basically what doctors/nurses do when you go for a blood test. U know how they insert the needle into your forearm and draw out a tube or two of ur blood sample. Yea... get the idea now?
Anyway, due to the nature of my job scope, several of my colleagues and I were sent to NYP to attend this 4 day Phlebotomy Course so that we would become licensed phlebotomist - We are often required to draw blood samples and run them to test for various stuff during our physiology research.
I must say it definitely was a nerve wrecking experience. Honestly, I don't really mind getting poked with a needle as I have a pretty high tolerance to pain. But, ask me to insert a rather large needle into someone else, I get freaking nervous and scared. The theory part of it all was rather straight forward.... come to the practical part, we initially practiced on fake mannequin arms with fake blood oozing out. The real thing came this afternoon when we had to use the actual needle and equipment to insert into our partner's arm and get an actual blood sample.
[ You see, since it's a course and there were no 'patients' to practice on, we had to pair up with our partners and perform the venipuncture on each other - scary shit eh!]
Thank God my partner and I did fine. Managed to locate the vein and perform a successful blood draw. Yeah. *pat on the backs to both of us* Hands were trembling initially; really hated the fact that I had to inflict pain on another person. What worried me the most was if I missed the vein and inserted the needle deeper than what I was supposed to... think abt it, u're vein is pretty thin and small eh!
I need to perform one more venipuncture next week! Hope all goes well again!