Old Women during Phlebotomy Clinicals
Today there were two very important women that made an impact on my very casual day at Quest Diagnostics. To give a little background; this is one of the busiest Quests. And I happened to choose to work it because I wanted to get more sticks in. The deal is 100 hours minimum or 120 sticks which my goal is to finish before school starts August 24th. As of today; I am right on track with 75 sticks under my belt. My preceptor Jade or (Tamiko Pouncy-Campbell) is a rather interesting character. She is a black woman with thick black rimmed eye glasses and curly haired weave as she calls it. She was born in Japan because her parents were involved in the military. Hahah. She opens up really easy and feels very comfortable talking to me about her life and her family; not to mention her sex life. She is one of the most honest and wonderful people I have met. She watches as I continue to perform venipuncture on patients and really just coaches me; but still accepts me for me. She told me this "You are the same person when you first learned [venipuncture] than who you are today, what I tell you isn't going to change you; you will learn that yourself with time."
This morning as I call a patient to follow me to the back; she is in her wheelchair and I notice from the get-go that she has the worst veins and her hands are deteriorating. I dont know exactly what condition she has; but her hands were very small and it seemed as if the skin was melting away down to her fingers. She had some fingers; most of them were very short and down to the last segment and the finger nails she did have; were mostly gone.
She told me that she was going to be a hardstick--- I knew this; but I still tried and searched for a vein. All I felt was rough skin and scar tissue. I called Jade to come help me out because there was no way I was going to free poke this lady and hope that blood would come out. Her husband of 4 years was there standing by her side and helping her every minute. He is the one that wheeled her into the room. It made me wonder how this old couple could be together. If they had been married for only 4 years; how could her husband (with no disability) deal with his wife who could barely stretch out her arms to give a hug. At that instant; I was touched. He must really love this woman to be there and help her during her illness. That was the first instance that made me think...
[Jade on the other hand; was thinking that the old woman was irritated with her husband and that they wouldn't last]
The second instance was during lunch. An old lady sat by me at the cafeteria. She was a guest at Quest. Apparently she did not know how to use vending machines; so she handed me a dollar and asked me to get her sun chips. I got up and got them for her. Then of course she starts conversing with Jade and I about her family and how her parents raised her and how the kids today would be hard to raise. I could tell that Jade wasn't really listening; but I was-- She was sitting right next to me. She informed me that her parents were very strict on her and that her parents gave their kids a choice. It was to attend school-- or to work and live under their roof with a fee. She told me that that was the way it was and I couldn't help but agree with her. My parents had similar view points. She then asked me what I was doing there--and Jade told her that she was training me because I am a student. She asked me if I wanted to be a phlebotomist-- I told her; not really because I'm in school to be a doctor. At that moment she grabbed my hand and told me "Sweety, you go for it. You go for it and you don't stop; don't ever quit. There are going to be hard moments; but you need to keep going. You don't want to be old and have done something else; looking back years from now wishing you could have. Besides we need more doctors!"
Again; I was touched. Really, these are the moments that make me stronger; make me want to try harder and make sure that I become a doctor.
This morning as I call a patient to follow me to the back; she is in her wheelchair and I notice from the get-go that she has the worst veins and her hands are deteriorating. I dont know exactly what condition she has; but her hands were very small and it seemed as if the skin was melting away down to her fingers. She had some fingers; most of them were very short and down to the last segment and the finger nails she did have; were mostly gone.
She told me that she was going to be a hardstick--- I knew this; but I still tried and searched for a vein. All I felt was rough skin and scar tissue. I called Jade to come help me out because there was no way I was going to free poke this lady and hope that blood would come out. Her husband of 4 years was there standing by her side and helping her every minute. He is the one that wheeled her into the room. It made me wonder how this old couple could be together. If they had been married for only 4 years; how could her husband (with no disability) deal with his wife who could barely stretch out her arms to give a hug. At that instant; I was touched. He must really love this woman to be there and help her during her illness. That was the first instance that made me think...
[Jade on the other hand; was thinking that the old woman was irritated with her husband and that they wouldn't last]
The second instance was during lunch. An old lady sat by me at the cafeteria. She was a guest at Quest. Apparently she did not know how to use vending machines; so she handed me a dollar and asked me to get her sun chips. I got up and got them for her. Then of course she starts conversing with Jade and I about her family and how her parents raised her and how the kids today would be hard to raise. I could tell that Jade wasn't really listening; but I was-- She was sitting right next to me. She informed me that her parents were very strict on her and that her parents gave their kids a choice. It was to attend school-- or to work and live under their roof with a fee. She told me that that was the way it was and I couldn't help but agree with her. My parents had similar view points. She then asked me what I was doing there--and Jade told her that she was training me because I am a student. She asked me if I wanted to be a phlebotomist-- I told her; not really because I'm in school to be a doctor. At that moment she grabbed my hand and told me "Sweety, you go for it. You go for it and you don't stop; don't ever quit. There are going to be hard moments; but you need to keep going. You don't want to be old and have done something else; looking back years from now wishing you could have. Besides we need more doctors!"
Again; I was touched. Really, these are the moments that make me stronger; make me want to try harder and make sure that I become a doctor.