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Wednesday, October 24, 2007

-- Opened --

#-'Neath the Crimson Flow

What does a medical student do with needles and sryinges? Venepuncture of course. So I'm missing out on practicals in school, but with some good doctor friends over here in Singapore, I figured I won't really miss much.

So my first guinea pig was SHE from camp. Venepuncture isn't supposed to be a big deal, just that this guy's veins are almost invisible. Apparently alot of girl's veins are also difficult to locate, but I guess what they don't teach in the training video is how to feel for the vein. Just having a visual isn't enough and one needs to be able to see as well as feel the vein, then it'll be much safer to draw blood.

On my first try, I went in stright into the vein, bingo! But I didn't expect so much resistance when I tried to pull the plunger outwards to suck the blood into the syringe, so instead of drawing blood, I accidently pull the whole syringe and exposed the tip of the needle, so blood started flowing. Ok, no big deal, he bled abit but at least I hit the vein. So after cleaning up and waiting for the wound to heal, it was time for the 2nd attempt.

So I followed the procedure:
1. Tie the tourniquet on the arm to increase venous pressure.
2. Ask the patient to clench fist to aid increase of pressure.
3. Identify the vein visually and by touch.
4. Sterilize the area using alcohol swab. Wait for alcohol to evaporate.
5. In the mean time prepare needle and syringe, taking note to keep it sterile.
6. Insert needle into vein in a smooth motion, making sure the hand is anchored and do not change the holding hand for the syringe.
7. With the other hand, pull the plunger outward to draw blood.
8. Release tourniquet, put cotton or gauze on the puncture site, and then remove the needle and syringe.
9. Finally, after depositing blood into container, throw the needle and syringe into a sharps bin.

And I DREW BLOOD! Good stuff! See that wasn't too difficult. After you've done it, it truly isn't much of a big deal anymore. But it sure is exciting to try it for the first time. I guess watching the training video so many times helped. SHE said if I could draw blood from him successfully, I could perform it on anyone since his veins are so difficult to locate. Now he has a vial of his own blood to keep...haha. Sounds like Angelina Jolie.

First Blood baby! Who else wants to be my next guinea pig?

-- Closed --

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