Simple Thoughts

Who likes needles?

Aichmophobia or belonephobia--the fear of needles.

I gave blood for the first time. Yay! I saved a life! It was such a nerve racking experience. Which leads me to my question...Can there ever be a nurse who has a fear of needles? The fear is not in sticking other people with them, just getting stuck with them. I suppose since this fear doesn't throw me into a "complete" state of panic (although my heart was racing) it's not too terribly awful. But, really, it can't be a good thing to for me to fear, my future line of work considered. My next thought is that nurses/phlebotomists that take blood should carry around a list of references. Names and phone numbers of people they've taken blood from. You can sometimes tell by the look of a nurse is he/she is going to be gentle or not. When it comes to taking blood, just from my experience, there needs to be some sort of skills demonstration or something so you know what you're getting yourself into.

Here's my story. I get to the place on campus where they are holding the blood drive and am met with a girl coming out exclaiming how she is never going to let "that woman" come near her with a needle again. Wow, along with my already inner state of nervousness, that was a total confidence booster. Avoid scary nurse with needle...check! I get to the next part of my "experience" and I get my finger pricked. I don't think I'm too much of a wimp, but that stinking hurts after a while. Thank you, God, that I am not a diabetic. Anyways, I'm sitting in the room, anxiously awaiting my turn to contribute, watching while other people are getting poked with needles. Again, not a great confidence booster. Don't look at your arm when they stick you...check! My really good friend, Sarah Joy, walks away from her experience almost in tears she was abused so much. Thankfully, my friend/her boyfriend, Brandon, gets stuck (literally and figuratively speaking) with the aformentioned scary nurse with needle. There I am, sitting, waiting, and wondering if my nurse is any good at her job. This would have been a great time to be able to read up on some of the experiences of her past patients. Ease my restlessness a bit. "Yes, she is gentle. Yes, she was efficient. Yes, I could still move my arm after she poked me. No, she is not satan's spawn." All of these would be helpful to me at that very moment.

Well, it wasn't half bad, I didn't pass out, and there's only a slight bruise on my arm. I found out I have small veins, but they pump blood very quickly. Small yet powerful, that's me! Hopefully, this experience helped me on the road to recovery. I learned a couple of very valuable lessons. Unwarranted fear and anxiety are not a good thing. And neither are scary nurses with needles that make you cry.

posted by Katie @ 1:10 AM