Tuesday 30 March 2010

Blood

Today I took blood, using the vacutainer system. I have taken blood before but today was the first time from a "real patient," as opposed to in the clinical skills centre practicing on someone with biggest veins around.
I was able to do it on two patients in the end (out of three - my colleague who is more sophisticated then the fuddled medic used a syringe in the end). I consider this to be a success.


The afternoon was spent watching an FY1 doing Intravenous cannulation on a patient, followed by them teaching us how to do it on each other (before this we had just practiced on a mannequin), with a bit of luck I was able to do this on my friend relatively easily - although tbh it was a bit of dumb luck that I was able to manage it.

In the meantime I have been set a challenge of finding out the scientific evidence for why doctors should wear there sleeves rolled up - to me it makes sense insticitively to wear short sleeve shirts, elbows and below exposed, but is there any evidence?

3 comments:

  1. We used to practice on each other in the early 1970s. There were no such things as phlebotomists then, so the housemen were always happy for you to take the bloods!

    No evidence for short sleeves, just some stupid infection control prats.

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  2. Indeed, there is no evidence. The conversation grew when I was asked why saline is used to flush through a cannular as opposed to water.

    On a similar vain we mentioned how ties are now no longer worn, its a silly idea that they spread infection but the FY1 agreed that it was one less thing to worry about in the morning

    The FY1 had a very good sense of humour, it was quite difficult to tell when he was taking the piss and being serious

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  3. I'm pretty sure there IS?! Evidence, I mean? Surely there must be? I'm curious now, too...

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