Phlebotomy Story - First Blood Draw

Characters

• Maria — phlebotomy student

• Mr. Davis — patient

Maria:
Good morning. My name is Maria, and I’ll be drawing your blood today.

Mr. Davis:
Morning.

Maria:
Can you please tell me your full name and date of birth?

Mr. Davis:
Robert Davis. February 9th, 1972.

Maria:
Thank you.

(Maria washes her hands and puts on gloves.)

Maria:
I’m going to place this tourniquet on your arm. It will feel a little tight.

Mr. Davis:
Alright.

(Maria applies the tourniquet.)

Maria:
Can you make a fist for me?

Mr. Davis:
Like this?

Maria:
Perfect.

(Maria feels for a vein.)

Mr. Davis:
So… are you new at this?

Maria:
A little. I’m still learning.

Mr. Davis:
Everybody starts somewhere.

Maria:
That’s true.

(Maria smiles nervously.)

Mr. Davis:
You seem careful though. I’d rather have careful than overconfident.

Maria:
Honestly, I’m trying very hard not to mess up.

Mr. Davis:
That probably means you’ll do fine.

(Maria laughs softly.)

Maria:
I found a vein.

Mr. Davis:
Good news for both of us.

(Maria cleans the area.)

Maria:
This might feel cold.

Mr. Davis:
Yep. Definitely cold.

Maria:
I’ll let the area dry for a moment.

Mr. Davis:
Does that matter?

Maria:
Yes. It helps prevent stinging and keeps the area clean.

Mr. Davis:
Makes sense.

(Maria prepares the needle.)

Maria:
Okay. Small pinch.

Mr. Davis:
I’ll survive.

(Maria inserts the needle.)

Mr. Davis:
That was actually better than I expected.

Maria:
Really?

Mr. Davis:
I’ve had much worse.

(Blood begins filling the tube.)

Maria:
Good. The blood is flowing well.

Mr. Davis:
You sound relieved.

Maria:
I am relieved.

Mr. Davis:
You know, patients can usually tell when someone cares.

Maria:
I do care. I just get nervous.

Mr. Davis:
That’s not always bad in healthcare.

(Maria fills the final tube.)

Maria:
Alright, I’m releasing the tourniquet now.

(She releases it.)

Maria:
Another small pinch.

(Maria removes the needle and places gauze on the site.)

Maria:
Please hold pressure here.

Mr. Davis:
Got it.

(Maria activates the safety device and disposes of the needle.)

Maria:
All finished.

Mr. Davis:
That wasn’t bad at all.

Maria:
Thank you for being patient with me.

Mr. Davis:
You explained everything clearly. That helps people relax.

(Maria places a bandage on the arm.)

Maria:
Try to avoid heavy lifting with this arm for a little while.

Mr. Davis:
Will do.

Maria:
Have a great day.

Mr. Davis:
You too. And don’t worry so much — you’re going to be good at this.