What Makes You Happy???
What Makes You Smile??
What Makes You Laugh???
Is that not the quest for all of us? I believe the driving force behind what we are striving for in the journey all of us inhabit is—The Quest to find Peace, Direction and Contentment. It is different for every one of us. It is different for all of the Patients we Serve as Phlebotomists and as other Healthcare Professionals. As Healthcare Pro’s, we have the everyday experience of getting a glimpse into the lives of those we serve. How many times has it happened to you? Your patient ends up sharing with you, the physical and emotional challenges they must endure and strive to overcome? Then in the middle of all of that– You must do your best to minimize the pain and discomfort that You have no choice but to inflict upon them when you collect their Lab Specimens. Hopefully that is done with care and compassion.
As a teacher, I have helped new Phleebs understand that every time we perform a venipuncture, it comes with a built in degree of pain and discomfort that is inherent always. I do not care how experienced we are, sometimes the stick hurts more than other times. I have had sticks that when I put the needle in, it felt like I was going through a stick of melted butter and everything was going Primo. Then the patient looked up at me with a furrowed brow and said, “It never hurt that bad before.” Then I have had sticks that I struggled to find a vein. Sticks that felt Rough and disjointed to me. They just did not go smooth, and then the patient looks up at me, smiles and says, “I did not even feel that.” What do you say in return?
All we can do as Lab Techs, is to try to do our best– Every Time. Over the years I have had employees that had innate compassion and concern for the patients they encountered. I knew they cared for their patients. I have also had employees that were lacking in the compassion factor of their work with patients. These were the ones I had to keep a close eye on. Sometimes, their lack in this realm of care for those they served, showed its head again and again. Sometimes I had patients that would complain of their bad experiences with them. Sometimes, those bad experiences culminated in having to carry out corrective action with some of those employees. Something I dreaded more than anything else. How do you get inside someone’s head trying to get them to find that part in their psyche, in their inner being that helps them really connect with their patients and try their best for them?
One of the most defining factors that I have found that is necessary to really connect with patients?
Find a way to make them laugh…
Did You read the post I put up about where my roots started out in Roswell New Mexico?
Alien Mecca of the world. I talked about the ranching foreman named William Brazel who lived Northeast of Roswell in 1947. He found something on his ranch that is one of the mainstays in worldwide UFO Lore and documentation. Our universe is so vast, such a mystery, that we as a species are still trying to decipher and explain what it is. I have someone Central and Important in my life who had a personal UFO experience when she was a Young Woman in High School. Her experience is real and credible to me. Her sharing of her experience with me, makes the possibility of other life out there, something I have no trouble believing could be happening. One of the things that I have thought about, in respect to their perception of us in their Possible, (Some say Probable, Some say Actual)– Visits?—
Their take on what makes us laugh…
Do Aliens have a Sense of Humor?…
Think about it. Have you ever read about or heard of stories of Aliens out there enjoying a good laugh? All the Aliens I remember from the Sci Fi movies I have enjoyed were nothing but sterile and humorless entities that our heroes in those movies had trouble trying to understand.
Well, I take that back. Some of the Aliens in Star Wars movies have funny bones, but Star Wars takes creative license to keep bringing us back, again and again, and again…
One of the most endearing things about us as Humans–We enjoy laughter in a variety of unique and personal perceptions. If Aliens are out there, what might their take on our varied, senses of humor comprise of? To Laugh is to be Human… Some of the most connecting moments we have with others are when we enjoy a binding, sharing moment when we find something funny together. The People we Love and the People we definitively find to be True Friends, are those that we find a common link in what tickles our Funny Bones. Does it not make sense? If I can find a way to commune with my patients over something we find funny together, our connection and relationship will be better all around.
I know this has happened to You; You encounter a Patient who is terrified of what You are about to do. You start assembling your tools and your Patient’s furrowed brow and tense body language is conveying their discomfort with the whole thing? I have been collecting blood for a very, very long time. I do not mean to sound egotistical here, but I have encountered just about any and all experiences a Phlebotomist can experience… The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.
Now, after all these years, my experience has given me some insight on how to approach, and how to connect with others when they have their blood samples collected. Let me share something that I have found that gives me a connection with my patients. If you have been collecting blood for a very long time, I know you have on several occasions, encountered a patient whose body language, creased brow and terse words lets you know they are dreading the entire procedure. Many of them unequivocally let You know how frightened they are.
You have to be careful with what I am going to share with you now. As I start evaluating the patient, I am trying to determine how easy or difficult they are going to be to collect on. As I put the tourniquet on sometimes now, without even palpating the arms, I will many times encounter a literal schmorgasbord of veins to choose from. Big, Easy ones with Neon Signs on them saying—“Stick Me!! Stick Me!! Right Here!!” So nice when I encounter a patient with great veins, and they have Consternation Dripping off of them like I described above. Sometimes when this happens, I will come back saying, “Hey, You don’t have a thing to worry about… I have been collecting blood for a Whole Two Weeks Now…” So very nice when my patient, does a double take, looks up at me and can’t help themselves but laugh. I will admit that I have had one patient over all those years who did not find it funny at all. (I’ll tell that story on another day). She’s the only one though. My Suggestion– if You opt to Play with your Patient this way… Only do it after You have racked up some real experience and AFTER You have determined their Veins are truly Prominent and Easy to work with…
I am ALWAYS looking for the Funny Bone Angle when I work with my Patients… Please let me know how You help your Patients Smile and Laugh…
So When it’s time to help Your Patient Smile, Laugh and Feel more Comfortable…
“Just Lean, Lock and Roll into It…” Steven…