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Understanding Both Sides Of The Blood Draw: The Experience Of The Pediatric Patient And The Phlebotomist, Julie R. Piazza, Sandra Merkel, Brooke Rothberg, Joan Gargaro, Kristin Kullgren

Patient Experience Journal

A phlebotomist’s words and actions play a crucial role in success of a blood draw and in providing a supportive patient experience. This study examined use of comfort measures during a pediatric blood draw. The phlebotomist’s use of soft words, positioning, distraction, coaching/support were observed with sixty children between 3-14 years of age during a blood draw. The level of fear /anxiety before and during the blood draw was recorded by an RA. The child’s level of fear/anxiety was observed and reported by the parent/caregiver after the procedure. Comfort measures provided by phlebotomists, the parent/caregiver’s report of their child’s usual …