# Anyone else hate needles? (past or present)



## mct601 (May 30, 2009)

So I'm going into EMT-B this fall. I understand the material I will learn, duties that I will be called on to do once I get certified, etc. Then I plan to start paramedic school at a local community college once I fit the criteria. Now, I don't have a phobia of needles, I just really really really don't like them. I *prefer* to not see them in use, but I can handle it if I have to. I refuse to have one used on me unless its a dire need.

Anyone else ever been this way?


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## silver (May 30, 2009)

wait until you start putting them in people...


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## mct601 (May 30, 2009)

haha, I can break myself of it. Like I said, I'm not phobic of them. Just wondering if anyone else went into this profession feeling the same way.


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## Buzz (May 30, 2009)

I did. I used to get dizzy at the thought of a needle being used. Now it doesn't phase me. What still gets me though is getting blood drawn. I'll pass out if I get a glimpse of it coming out of me.


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## TransportJockey (May 30, 2009)

I love sticking them into people, can't watch one go into me


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## mct601 (May 30, 2009)

Buzz said:


> I did. I used to get dizzy at the thought of a needle being used. Now it doesn't phase me. What still gets me though is getting blood drawn. I'll pass out if I get a glimpse of it coming out of me.



haha, I was strolling around campus the day of exams. they had a station setup for giving blood in our main hall. I can't tell you how long it took for me to convince her that I didnt want to give blood. Just the thought made me weezy, and I had barely anything to eat that day/was about to drive home.


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## emtfarva (May 30, 2009)

I love needles. I love watching them in use, and I love getting stuck with them. What I can't stand in this field is the smells.


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## Shishkabob (May 30, 2009)

I hate needles when they are going in to me.  Other people, it's rather fun.



I can handle someone elses major bleed quite easily, but I feel woozy at the sight of my blood.


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## emtfarva (May 30, 2009)

I love blood too, I could handle someone else's guts spilled out. Again I can't stand the smells.


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## Epi-do (May 30, 2009)

Like some of the others have said - needles going into a patient = good, needles going into me = BAD.  When it is me, if I watch I will pass out.


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## fma08 (May 31, 2009)

Never had an issue with administering an injection or starting an IV, even starting out. Not too fond of being on the receiving end... Even though my veins are huge, stick out, and are nice and straight... Yeah... Guess who everyone wanted to practice on in school. <_<


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## Shishkabob (May 31, 2009)

fma08 said:


> Never had an issue with administering an injection or starting an IV, even starting out. Not too fond of being on the receiving end... Even though my veins are huge, stick out, and are nice and straight... Yeah... Guess who everyone wanted to practice on in school. <_<



I have the same exact problem.

I go in to an ED and nurses start taping my veins and asking if they can do a 14g on me.


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## fma08 (May 31, 2009)

Linuss said:


> I have the same exact problem.
> 
> I go in to an ED and nurses start taping my veins and asking if they can do a 14g on me.



A 14 can easily fit into several veins along my forearms... It's scary


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## mycrofft (May 31, 2009)

*Linuss, good pickup line! *Hey, Baby, wanna get subclavian?".*

I stopped letting them use me for practice decades ago.


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## Shishkabob (May 31, 2009)

fma08 said:


> A 14 can easily fit into several veins along my forearms... It's scary



I mean a 14g fits in to my hand veins with ease.


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## HotelCo (May 31, 2009)

I'm fine with needles until they come out of the patient. Then I'm not a fan of them.


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## rogersam5 (May 31, 2009)

needles in others = good (Or fine...i.e. I don't care)....needles in me..... ha.

I remember my last tetanus shot... Nurse was chasing me around the room for 15 min before they got me in a corner :glare:


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## fma08 (May 31, 2009)

rogersam5 said:


> needles in others = good (Or fine...i.e. I don't care)....needles in me..... ha.
> 
> I remember my last tetanus shot... Nurse was chasing me around the room for 15 min before they got me in a corner :glare:



I hear they're adapting tranquilizer guns for such cases now


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## Shishkabob (May 31, 2009)

Gah, when I was in middle school I had to go for a tetanus shot... nurse didn't tell me she was going to do it and I was looking away.  She stuck me, I pulled back, and had a needle stuck in my arm.

I was angry.



Speaking of which, I need to go get my booster.


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## guardian528 (May 31, 2009)

seems like most people don't care if they stick people with them, but don't like when they are going into themselves. me on the other hand, i don't really mind them at all. of course, this is coming from a guy who has only been stuck with any type of needle once, which was to give blood a couple months ago. i've also been blessed with huge veins


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## Seaglass (May 31, 2009)

I don't like injections in general, but I only really mind if I know it's going to be something that'll feel really awful (some types of contrast solution or surgical anesthesia, for instance). Then I'm a nervous wreck. 

On the other hand, I don't mind having blood drawn at all. I donate pretty often.


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## emtfarva (May 31, 2009)

I have been stuck with a 14g. It didn't hurt at all. I was letting people practice on me. But, I am also gifted with huge veins. My right arm I have my AC and also a rather large vein to the right of it. I have a few veins in my hands that you could put a 16g if you wanted. and my forearms are loaded with veins that you could place 16g/18g in with ease.


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## willbeflight (May 31, 2009)

Linuss said:


> I have the same exact problem.
> 
> I go in to an ED and nurses start taping my veins and asking if they can do a 14g on me.




I have no problem using the 21g on people but I refuse anything bigger unless I have to!  14g should just be for Theraputics.  They have NO reason to use those otherwise.


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## mikeN (May 31, 2009)

you'll get over it fast.  I don't mind sticking people but I still can't watch myself getting a shot or giving blood.   Don't ask.


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## willbeflight (May 31, 2009)

mikeN said:


> you'll get over it fast.  I don't mind sticking people but I still can't watch myself getting a shot or giving blood.   Don't ask.




I am the same way.  Funny huh?  I do this for a living!


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## Sasha (May 31, 2009)

Shouldn't willbeflight be afraid of lancets and stat BGLs more than needles?


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## willbeflight (May 31, 2009)

Sasha said:


> Shouldn't willbeflight be afraid of lancets and stat BGLs more than needles?




No, that's everyone else when I'm on duty.  lol


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## Shishkabob (May 31, 2009)

willbeflight said:


> I have no problem using the 21g on people but I refuse anything bigger unless I have to!  14g should just be for Theraputics.  They have NO reason to use those otherwise.



JPS here in Fort Worth, a level 1 trauma center, requires an 18g minimum on all trauma patients.  If you do anything smaller, they'll search until they find a vein big enough for an 18.


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## lightsandsirens5 (Jun 1, 2009)

Buzz said:


> I did. I used to get dizzy at the thought of a needle being used. Now it doesn't phase me. What still gets me though is getting blood drawn. I'll pass out if I get a glimpse of it coming out of me.



The blood dosen't bother me. I just pass out as soon as the needle hits the vein. We were doing an IV mantinance class, and I volunteered to be a practice case. Well, as soon as they poked me I started feeling dizzy. Next thing I know, I am laying on the floor and there are people looking down at me.


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## EMTCLM (Jun 1, 2009)

i used to be SO afraid of needles, i tried to jump out of the doctors window when i needed my tetanus shot a few years ago  lol, but now i love them, i love watcing when i get my blood drawn, getting shots, seeing it, the whole deal. what helped me is thinking of it strictly medically, like the needle is penetrating, the substance is being injected, the needle is being removed, stuff like that. just think of the engineering of it I guess, and you should feel much better about it. good luck!


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## willbeflight (Jun 1, 2009)

Linuss said:


> JPS here in Fort Worth, a level 1 trauma center, requires an 18g minimum on all trauma patients.  If you do anything smaller, they'll search until they find a vein big enough for an 18.



At this small town hospital where I work, we are only a trauma 3, so I'm guessing that's where the difference is.


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## sop (Jun 2, 2009)

I have a fear of being stuck by a needle.


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## willbeflight (Jun 3, 2009)

sop said:


> I have a fear of being stuck by a needle.




Don't feel bad!  I think most people do!


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## biggee72 (Jun 3, 2009)

I am a diabetic and stick myself w/ needles all day..we had our annual TB test the other day and I almost passed out while they were doing it.


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## Shishkabob (Jun 3, 2009)

When I was joining the Corps, I went to MEPS and they did a blood draw.


The Corpsman doing the draw quickly told me to lay down and got me some juice and cookies.  Apparently I turned ghost white.^_^


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## willbeflight (Jun 3, 2009)

Linuss said:


> When I was joining the Corps, I went to MEPS and they did a blood draw.
> 
> 
> The Corpsman doing the draw quickly told me to lay down and got me some juice and cookies.  Apparently I turned ghost white.^_^



Awww!  :sad:


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## masquedxangel (Jun 4, 2009)

-shudder- I'm eagerly awaiting the IV class where I get to be stuck and stick. Really. Really I am. I'm not losing colour in my face, quiet.

:wacko: That's going to be the hardest part for me. Gaping wounds? Cool. Broken bones? Awesome. Awful icky things that would make most normal people scatter the other way? Bring it on!

A teeny tiny needle touching skin? I will hit the floor.

I hope I get over that pretty quickly. XD


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## HotelCo (Jun 4, 2009)

Linuss said:


> When I was joining the Corps, I went to MEPS and they did a blood draw.
> 
> 
> The Corpsman doing the draw quickly told me to lay down and got me some juice and cookies.  Apparently I turned ghost white.^_^



I don't know how your MEPS was set up. But mine just had these bathroom stalls set up in a hallway to create a divide. Well, I'm getting my blood drawn, doing fine. All of a sudden the guy in the next room passed out and fell out of the chair, knocked into the wall (stall divider), and made it come unhinged a bit. He passes out when he sees his own blood. I laughed for a good 5 minutes. 

P.S. - You had Corpsman doing your blood draw at MEPS? They drew mine at boot. At MEPS, a nurse drew my blood.


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## Lunah (Jun 4, 2009)

Needles don't bother me a bit, giving or receiving. They just never have. (I guess that's how I was able to endure so many hours of being tattooed. ) Don't get me wrong -- I'm not some sort of masochist, and I don't go out of my way to get stuck, but if I need a shot or an IV or a TB test, it's not a big deal.


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## emt1994 (Jun 17, 2009)

I hate needles and my husband is a paramedic he wants me to become an I I wont because I cant bring myself to stick people I just cant bring myself to do it.


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## apagea99 (Jun 17, 2009)

Linuss said:


> The Corpsman doing the draw quickly told me to lay down and got me some *juice and cookies*.  Apparently I turned ghost white.^_^



You got juice and cookies???? You can stick me with swords for juice & cookies! 

Needles aren't so bad. I prefer to be on the giving side rather than receiving unless there's ink involved. I'm sure I'll be sick of needles (giving & receiving) by the time Ft Sam Houston is finished with me!


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## HotelCo (Jun 18, 2009)

willbeflight said:


> I have no problem using the 21g on people but I refuse anything bigger unless I have to!  14g should just be for Theraputics.  They have NO reason to use those otherwise.



I get at least a 20g here, 18 if there is a big enough vein. Regardless of where I do my clinicals. 18 if the patient isn't doing that well, or I think they're going to go down hill. Arrests or those who are about half-dead get a 14.

(Obviously this changes with each patient, but everyone gets at least a 20 gauge if they have a vein big enough to handle it.)


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## Shishkabob (Jun 18, 2009)

HotelCo said:


> P.S. - You had Corpsman doing your blood draw at MEPS? They drew mine at boot. At MEPS, a nurse drew my blood.



Most definitely a Corpsman.  Strange, I know, but a Naval base was near by, so that's probably why.


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## HotelCo (Jun 18, 2009)

Linuss said:


> Most definitely a Corpsman.  Strange, I know, but a Naval base was near by, so that's probably why.



Ahh, that explains it.


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## Shishkabob (Jun 18, 2009)

HotelCo said:


> Ahh, that explains it.





That's what I do... explain things.


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## Afflixion (Jun 18, 2009)

HotelCo said:


> I get at least a 20g here, 18 if there is a big enough vein. Regardless of where I do my clinicals. 18 if the patient isn't doing that well, or I think they're going to go down hill. Arrests or those who are about half-dead get a 14.
> 
> (Obviously this changes with each patient, but everyone gets at least a 20 gauge if they have a vein big enough to handle it.)



you can almost always find a vein large enough for an 18. When I worked on a truck you got an 18 or a 16 if you needed an IV and here we dont carry anything smaller than 18ga

but in regards to original question nope I have no fear of needles, and yes apagea you will get more than your fair share of needles at FT Sam.


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## hrmeeks (Jun 18, 2009)

mct601 said:


> haha, I can break myself of it. Like I said, I'm not phobic of them. Just wondering if anyone else went into this profession feeling the same way.



fav thing to tell people dont worry I m not gonna feel a thing


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## Airwaygoddess (Jun 19, 2009)

EEEEEKKKKK!!!!!!  I don't care what they say.....  I still hate needles!!  Airwaygoddess faints yet again! LOL


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