How do I get over my fear of drawing blood?

Taking slow, deep breaths while having your blood drawn may help calm your nerves and relax your body overall. Try inhaling slowly to the count of four, and then exhaling for the same amount of time. Focus on keeping your breathing even and steady the entire time.

How do I stop being scared of needles?

Like the causes of a needle phobia, the possible ways to help can be both physical and psychological. For example, Trinh says that psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy can all be useful in treating various types of phobia.

What is a butterfly needle for drawing blood?

A butterfly needle is a device used to access a vein for drawing blood or giving medications. Some medical professionals call a butterfly needle a “winged infusion set” or a “scalp vein set.” The set gets its name because there are plastic “wings” on either side of a hollow needle used to access the vein.

Do butterfly needles hurt less?

Since butterfly needles are often less painful than straight needles, you may encounter patients who specifically ask you to use a butterfly needle. What’s important is that you use the proper gauge to get the job done effectively, quickly, and, most importantly, as pain-free as possible.

What can I do to overcome my fear of drawing blood?

Make sure you have plenty of practice in assembling and using phlebotomy equipment, including how to use a vacutainer, butterfly needle and syringe for drawing blood. Become familiar with different gauge needles and when to use them, as well as blood collection tubes.

Is it safe to use a butterfly needle to draw blood?

A 2016 study found that using butterfly needles to draw blood reduced rates of blood breaking down by half compared to using a person’s IV catheter to draw a blood sample. Another earlier study found the type of needle used was one of the strongest predictors that a blood sample would or wouldn’t get destroyed.

What to do if you have a fear of needles?

Some people fear needles because they get faint. If that’s the case with you, you can use a technique called applied tension, which helps increase your blood pressure. Increasing your blood pressure decreases your chances of fainting.

Why do you need a butterfly needle for an IV?

Butterfly needles enable IV access using a small needle for IV infusions or blood draws. Ideally, using a butterfly needle reduces the likelihood a person will experience profuse bleeding after an IV stick or blood draw.