Blood Test

[T3MARY]

Hi i thought I'd share my latest experience of total disregard for Thyroid patients last Thursday went for blood test haven't been feeling great also needed them done for endo appointment next week The nurse started by looking on screen(computer) oh just thyroid test (yes) right that looks like a big juicy vein right there was 4 viles of blood on the 4 th one the vein collapsed (me: do you want to try the other arm ) Nurse: no I'll take it out off the other Viles ( Me why not just take it off the other arm ) Nurse no I'll take out off Viles I wasn't impressed because I know that the viles have preservative in to keep the blood from going off so by her mixing the viles she compromised my blood test I had stop all medication & food for 12 hrs I have spoken to practice manager put in official complaint I'm sick off people treating thyroid illness & thyroid patients as second class citizens shames on the medical profession

[Me2U]

it sounds as if she was struggling to get a vein? Is that right ? But you typed there was 4 vials of blood

[T3MARY in reply to Me2U]

Hi Me 2 U

She remarks oh Juicy vein no problem

She wasn't want to use the other arm to Lazy ask her twice but she wasn't having it

4 different sets of tests in blood vailes

So instead of using my other arm to take the last set of blood test she insisted she was going to pour blood for i of the other Vailes

[silverfox7 in reply to T3MARY]

Surely she must know why the tops are different colours though must be thinking it's just to remind them what they are testing for! I was going to exclaim unbelievable but you have just shown she hasn't a clue and it not just a case of well. Ever mind we shall do it again. Like you say you have has special conditions to prepare for or you could have travelled a distance, taken time off work, had to get children cared for, there could be many reasons why coming back again isn't easy! It's basic training for a phlebotomist to get those things right and why!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to silverfox7]

"Surely she must know why the tops are different colours ..."

To match the patient's clothing?

[T3MARY in reply to helvella]

Laughing out loud X

[Emyloulou]

That is very bad practice!!! I'm a phlebotomist(handy for the million blood tests a year I have 😉) and yes you are quite right about the chemical in the bottles. They are different in each bottle and the bottles are test specific. The only way she'd be able to do this is if she needed 2 brown bottles for example and only got 1 and even then it is bad practice.

Even the best veins collapse so I will always use the other arm if I have to.

[T3MARY in reply to Emyloulou]

Hi Emma it was so frustrating this woman was so dismissive I put in a official complaint & guess what had to redo all blood test yesterday & feed back from surgery blood clotted yeah right

[Emyloulou in reply to T3MARY]

I'm not surprised it clotted! Don't you have phlebotomy clinics in your area? Nurses in gp surgeries arent always the best people at taking blood, we are always sorting out the mess they make 😡. Some are great but in my experience they just don't do enough people and struggle with more than a couple of bottles(our current record is 22 bottles from 1 person 😳)

Check if you have because some gp surgery try to make out you can only go to them x

[T3MARY in reply to Emyloulou]

Emma I would rather go to a Phlebotomist any day as you say they get more practice with blood tests but I live right up the north of Scotland ( near the bit you nearly drop off) unfortunately you take what your given no Phlebotomist at our Surgery we have to travel 1hr 40 mins for Main Hospital Thank God it wasn't 22 bottles god know what state I would be in

[T3MARY]

Funny ! call first thing Monday morning you need to come to Surgery and redo all blood test was told it had nothing to do with the feasco on Thursday my blood clotted just coincidental & my reply to practice manager I don't believe you do I look like i came up the Clyde in a banana boat had all bloods redone yesterday

[bantam12]

Crikey 4 bottles just for a thyroid test, I only have 1 bottle taken that covers a whole load of tests !

[T3MARY in reply to bantam12]

Hi Bantam other health issues X

[bantam12 in reply to T3MARY]

Oh right, I thought nurse said "oh just thyroid test"

[T3MARY in reply to bantam12]

That was her trying to dismiss thyroid patients which 1 blood tube was her attitude was disgusting I put in an official complaint but if you look at my latest post the practice tried covering for her So you see what we're up against