I was just about to comment the same thing. It seems unfair to suggest the tech wasn't competent because of something so common. It happens to me all the time, I'd love for it to only take 3 attempts to get the vein...

I was going to say the same thing. However, are you allowed to insert IVs as a phleb? We aren't... Either way, IVs are an absolutely pain. They're trickier than simply drawing blood. On a side note, is one person allowed to try more than twice with an IV? We have a standard rule that if you miss a vein twice trying to draw blood, you can't go a third time. Also, OP needs to see patients on Kumadin who go in for INRs. Their entire arms are basically permanently black and blue. OP will live.

Agreed. It seemed kind of dickish to say the tech is incompetent. IVs are tricky. Sometimes they get a vein but it won't take fluid -- that happened during my last IV. I have thick skin and deep, rolling veins, so I always have multiple sticks and bruising. That's life.

I've been to the hospital a lot for my diabetes and it usually takes the nurses like 5 to 6 times before they can get it right

Sometimes I think the meme of America being sue-happy is way more common than the actual evidence supporting America being sue-happy. Doesn't help that there's misinformation about stuff like the McD's hot coffee incident (where the women was in the passenger sit of a non-moving vehicle, and the coffee gave her third degree burns *inside* her genitals, the coffee was kept hotter than regulations allowed because the store wanted to save a few bucks, and she only sued for her medical bills) and the woman who sued her nephew *had* to do it because it was the only way to get her insurance to cover the medical bills - she actually talked it over with the family first to do it. She still has a great relationship with her nephew.

ugh as a person with rolling veins and very few good veins at that I know that battle all to well... I miss the clinic we went to when I still lived in Calgary... We went to the same one every time I needed blood drawn because there was this tiny older German lady who was so amazing. She would put a warm compress on, and she was good at keeping me calm (major needle anxiety) and so that really helped too, but she was the only one we found who could get blood drawn first time every time. When I go donate blood I always let them know in advance about the rolling veins so they usually have someone with lots of experience take my blood.

22- Everyone has rolling veins. It's their job to roll. And if a vein is particularly unstable, we will notice without you telling us. Next time, just tell the phlebs that you tend to be a tough stick. Telling us that your veins roll annoy us more than anything. Or you can simply request someone with experience when you get drawn. They should find someone and you'll be less nervous :)

not everyone has rolling veins, I've been donating blood for 7 years+ and have never been stuck more than once to draw blood or have an iv started

22- Kudos to you for donating blood despite having major needle anxiety! You're awesome :)

Every time I give blood it always takes a few tries and the phlebotomist tells me it's difficult because I have rolling veins. I don't know anyone who tells the phlebotomist they have rolling veins, i've always known it to be the other way around. If everybody had them it would be odd to find it annoying or even comment on it...

Ct techs aren't nurses. Just saying.

my veins roll too, and unfortunately I really only have one good one in each arm where they normally draw blood. For me it's heat, and keeping calm (I have needle anxiety and it seems like the veins are even worse when I get really anxious)

OHHH if you're talking about the veins that are super easy to see on your arm they actually aren't all that great! I asked my local vamp (I swear she calls herself that) and she that most of them are surface veins and dirty dirty liars. Plus, it's easier to get a deeper vein because allows more wiggle room.

Depends on the hospital. Smaller hospital some times the radiographers are trained in it. I don't like it because we don't do it that often, and it's something you need to keep practicing to keep your skills up.