Nightwriter
New member
Hi Sonia,
I know exactly how you feel. If I have to get an I.V., I obsess about it -- hating the thought of it. I ask to be given a tranquilizer an hour before. And a student doing it? No way. No how. By the way, you can always tell if they are students. Their name tags always say what they are. I once had a doctor introduce a bunch of 14 year olds (at least that's what they looked like) as doctors. I looked at their name tags and said, "They're not doctors. They are med students. You shouldn't lie to people." And doctors have the longest coats. I've made a study of this.
The next thing I do if I am going to have an I.V. -- If I know that they are not going to be needing the large vein in the crook of my arm for anything, I ask for a really small needle (I once had a pediatric needle) and I ask them to use that big vein if possible. Usually, anybody can get an I.V. in that one and it doesn't really hurt. I question everyone on what their experience is doing I.V's. Unfortunately, I've made people nervous and that can't be good either. And if you want to know who is great at starting I.V.'s, ask a nurse. They know.
I've even tried that Emla cream that's supposed to numb everything. But you need to apply it an hour before the I.V. is placed for it to be effective.
Also, if you want avoid medical students altogether, you can ask to be on a non-teaching floor if the hospital has one. The downside, is that if you have a problem, only your doctor can take care of you.
And finally, you should always have your doctor put any requests you have in your medical records. Question things that don't seem right to you. And you have the right to say no to anything or anyone. You are paying them a lot of money. Oh, yeah one more tip. If you have to wear a traditional hospital gown, ask for two. One open to the back, the put the other one on like a jacket, open to the front.
Smooth sailing.
I know exactly how you feel. If I have to get an I.V., I obsess about it -- hating the thought of it. I ask to be given a tranquilizer an hour before. And a student doing it? No way. No how. By the way, you can always tell if they are students. Their name tags always say what they are. I once had a doctor introduce a bunch of 14 year olds (at least that's what they looked like) as doctors. I looked at their name tags and said, "They're not doctors. They are med students. You shouldn't lie to people." And doctors have the longest coats. I've made a study of this.
The next thing I do if I am going to have an I.V. -- If I know that they are not going to be needing the large vein in the crook of my arm for anything, I ask for a really small needle (I once had a pediatric needle) and I ask them to use that big vein if possible. Usually, anybody can get an I.V. in that one and it doesn't really hurt. I question everyone on what their experience is doing I.V's. Unfortunately, I've made people nervous and that can't be good either. And if you want to know who is great at starting I.V.'s, ask a nurse. They know.
I've even tried that Emla cream that's supposed to numb everything. But you need to apply it an hour before the I.V. is placed for it to be effective.
Also, if you want avoid medical students altogether, you can ask to be on a non-teaching floor if the hospital has one. The downside, is that if you have a problem, only your doctor can take care of you.
And finally, you should always have your doctor put any requests you have in your medical records. Question things that don't seem right to you. And you have the right to say no to anything or anyone. You are paying them a lot of money. Oh, yeah one more tip. If you have to wear a traditional hospital gown, ask for two. One open to the back, the put the other one on like a jacket, open to the front.
Smooth sailing.