I'm in one of my last classes of MA school (phlebotomy/injections) and I've done about 4 vaccutainer draws and 2 tube switches now...no matter how many "practices" i do on our "fake arms" or even when we draw real blood from our partners- the vaccutainer just hasnt gotten any easier. ESP the tube switches- i've tried anchoring my hand harder on the arm but today I did my competancy in vaccutainer/tube switch I got docked 5 points for tube switches I think because it took me so long to get each tube off and put a new one on but I was wondering if anyone here had the same problem or any advice!?!???

-rainy

Your Professional Title/Credentials: MA

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes

The main way to get use to it is what you think-PRACTICE. Is there any reason why you can't take a needle,a needle holder(a hub without the safety feature,so the needle can be recapped), and a few tubes home to practice with? I don't mean on people. What I did was take a beach towel and rolled it up and practiced on that,over and over and over again. You will need a tourniquet also.
NEVER lean over to get something,all your equipment needs to be on the side of the hand that does the most work,usually the left side.
If you meant anchoring your hand harder that holds the needle,it won't help,your hand needs to be firm but relaxed. Harder will tense you up more.
If it wasn't written out for you,the steps,then you need to compose your own method of what to do for a venipuncture and follow it over and over again,with out varying any,on your home dummy arm. It helps to have a spiel also,what you would say to a patient. All of this helps with preparing for the real thing.

get a set up and always use it. I have the client place their arm on a pillow right in the middle and then line up all of the tubes in order to the right of their arm. When I change tubes I place the finished tube on the other side of their arm and get th next one. If you have any trouble getting blood on the second tube draw back on the needle JUST a LITTLE bit and sometimes you can re-establish a flow. See if you can take home an empty vacutainer and some tubes. Practice on a teddy bear to get the eye hand cordination down. Find somthing that feels comfortable and stick to it. I always stand when I draw blood; others like to sit, you have to find out what feels natural to you.

Here is a video: http://www.vidilife.com/video_play_382509_drawing_blood_with_vacutainer.htm

Pretty good; although I would recommend cleaning the sight before putting on the torniquet to cut down on the time it is left on the arm. With time this guy will learn to go faser.

Watch how much faster this woman does it, http://youtube.com/watch?v=msf8Tk0wkx4&mode=related&search=

Sorry, here is one more; at a real good camara shot. Notice that everyone has slighly different techniques that all work for them:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cRbTa-Glmbk

Some of the "phlebotomy" videos on Youtube are horrendous. They should ban the ones that show those who try to make it look like something fun and easy,with completely unsterile methods. Right now there is a sickening one on there with a guy jabbing himself in his WRIST with a needle,and another that shows what looks like a child sticking themself with a butterfly. Mom or dad must think it's funny and cute to steal equipment from their jobs and then teach their kid how to do it. The good videos take place in a class with an instructor-and gloves.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RPT