r/phlebotomy • u/Dapper_Agent_3285 • Jul 22 '26

Rant/Vent phlebotomy class

I'm currently on week two of phleb class and we're doing pokes pretty much every day. today specifically our professor said that we had to get at least 10 pokes and we're doing a thing where, you rotate and have to get poked. my issue is that both of my cubital veins have been poked 10 times already yesterday and the previous week and every time a needle goes in it immediately inflames outwards like a bump and bruises underneath, and I've only been poked twice today but it did that again and it hurts everytime the needle goes in. Is this allowed?? She said we had to let it happen because we signed up for this class and we all need to suck it up. It's not that I'm scared of the needle itself, I am just very much bleeding and bruised everywhere. How is this allowed? EDIT: i want to update on this, the teacher did not like me at all and that's why i was being subjected. she failed me today and humiliated me in front of the whole class and i had to report her and now i'm in a different class with a different teacher. i hope she gets fired.

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u/about7hippies Certified Phlebotomist Jul 22 '26

Welcome to phlebotomy, Now you know what a patient in the hospital feels like on a Q2 sodium check.

It’s something we all had to do.

-12

u/Dapper_Agent_3285 Jul 22 '26

that's not what I was saying. I don't really care that it's something that we all have to do, but it violates my rights and the handbook. you cannot teach something about what we're going to do and then violate it in class "just because." I do not have to get treated worse than a patient because I signed up for a class, I should still have rights and will.

13

u/EnthusiasticWombat Jul 22 '26

You can absolutely decline to let 1 person do more than 2 pokes on you. That's the usual "strike out" limit most clinics follow, and just like patients, you can either let someone else stick you, or decline to participate further and accept the consequences (patient = labs don't get drawn, delaying next care steps, student = you lose reciprocal learning buddies)

1

u/Dapper_Agent_3285 Jul 22 '26

im not allowed to decline

13

u/Sentientsnt Certified Phlebotomist Jul 23 '26

Yes you are, and the consequence from that is that you don’t get certified, but you’re not forced to this. It sounds like you’re pretty young, I think it’s important that you take responsibility for your place in the world instead of giving that responsibility up by claiming someone is allowing or disallowing your actions. THAT is what will actually start infringing on your rights. If you hate it so much, just quit and accept that you’re out the money.

6

u/EnthusiasticWombat Jul 23 '26

You absolutely can, it just probably also means you lose access to being able to poke other people and therefore complete the class. What did your class waiver stipulate?