Houseman's friend /I will make a vampire yet!

29.9.11 :

1.30am! In labour ward with a patient who is about to go to caesarean as although she has been fully dilated for the last 4/5 hours, she is not having strong enough contractions (in spite attempting to increase with an oxytocin drip) and the baby’s head is still high. Before caesarean the mum needed to have a blood group and Hb test so needed to have blood taken...

As I have said before I realllllly wanted to practice taking blood as I have both not had much chance to practice in England, and am yet to be fully successful at taking blood from a patient (have managed to take it from another medical student in the blood taking workshop but then I deliberately paired up with someone I knew had big veins!) without at least a little help from someone else. In other words have failed at the few singlehanded attempts in a clinical setting that I have had (see blog: A failed vampire).

Was hesitant at asking to take this patient’s blood tonight though because after another late finish yesterday (and no power nap as planned!) I really very tired so I figured I would be more likely to make a mistake / fail to get blood. Decided I might as well try though (with so few blood tests available here, practice is not that readily available).... And I managed, by myself, with absolutely no problems and didn't have to jab her more than the once: D

Took the blood from a vein on the wrist that an F1 told me in 3rd year has the nickname Houseman's friend because it is a good option for both cannulating and taking blood. Glad that F1 showed me that vein as in this patient at any rate it was definitely a good one!

Woooooo one patient’s blood taken!

In other news another patient gave birth earlier as well to a baby which weighed an eye watering 3.7kg - ouch!

Halfadoc x