I had a patient today who was so anxious that they jumped every time I touched their arm with the alcohol swab. I ended up having to hold their hand just to keep them steady! It reminded me of when my partner almost fainted the first time they watched me draw blood. Anyone else have a funny story about a patient’s reaction?
I’ve had patients who act like I’m about to launch them into outer space when I pull out the needle! @ctorres, it really can feel like a wrestling match sometimes. Sometimes I tell them we’re just having a blood sample party, which usually gets a chuckle and helps them relax a bit.
I’ve definitely seen the ‘needle escape’ routine too; it’s like they think I’m trying to perform some magic trick. Sometimes, a little humor can go a long way — like pretending to be an Olympic athlete with the syringe.