Nurse Needlestick at Pediatrician -- WWYD

[Zukini]

We are leaving the pediatrician's office today when nurse C stops us and asks us to wait in the waiting room. She was on the phone with someone, I'm guessing now a supervisor or such. She steps out to find us and explains that apparently, nurse A or staff member B (whom I asked nurse A to get as back up because DS is not cooperative, he kicks and screams) who was in the room while administering an MMR vaccine to DS had a needle stick incident. I didn't hear nor see anyone get stuck, as I was laying halfway across DS upper half to keep him still. I was not aware until Nurse C, who was not in the room, told me.

Fast forward a few hours, and we are in a meeting with our attorney on something completely separate and Nurse C calls me. She wants us to come back into the office for them to test DS for several things, now and 6 months from now. Guessing hepatitis and HIV. He has been a patient of this practice from newborn, is fully vaccinated, comes from a low risk home / family and has never had anything more concerning than an ear infection. Mentioned it to the attorney who also takes his kid to same Pediatrician, and he pointed out what's good for the goose is good for the gander. I take that to mean I should be looking for blood draws from the nurse as well - since I didn't observe what happened, how do I know what order the needle poking happened...

So I'm calling back tomorrow to understand what the incident report said, what their standard operating procedure is, maybe speak to a practice or nurse manager or his pediatrician?, ask for access to blood testing results for not only my son but also the affected staff member... how do I word this? Is there anything else I should be asking for, even documentation wise? How might this affect his medical record?

[Zukini]

Backstory - DS is 3yo, and entering the local public school system for early education services. He has autism spectrum disorder and sensory processing disorder. He is working on his verbal skills, but is at nana-dada-hi-bye-ball-car level of expressive speech. He cannot indicate where or how many times he may have been stuck. We had to practice several times for today's office visit with his play doctor kit -- a simulation of being poked by the needle and running through what would happen. Still, today's visit upset him greatly. I'm dreading one or two more visits so close...

We recently had another extra needle stick, two actually as his veins kept rolling and they couldn't draw enough blood. This was to draw blood for the MMR titer - result was that he didn't have enough immunity for measles hence today's visit. We are actually current on all vaccinations and this may never have been discovered except for a paperwork "technicality" that we and his ped were aware of but didn't expect to deal with till closer to kindergarten. His first MMR vaccine was at 11 months due to extended travel, and school system required 12 months. Hence the titer, hence the shot today. I'm exhausted - we've been doubling up on therapy sessions cause we are about to leave for 8 days before school starts in two weeks. Dealing with this is not what I had planned but we want to do the right thing.

[calebsmama03]

I would be seriously annoyed by the situation but I would comply with the request. Even though they are sure to know the risk is low, it will put the nurse at ease to know for certain. And it may actually have serious consequences for her health insurance wise? I don't know the HIPAA regs around separation of injury and accident reports vs personal health care records. Overall it's a minor inconvenience for me and my child so I would do it. I don't think it is unreasonable for you to ask for documentation from her (him?) if they cannot prove the needle was sterile when used on your child and that the stick happened after. I wouldn't expect it to affect his record at all since it will just be a negative test result.

ETA I just read your update re his being on the spectrum. That definitely makes it more than a minor inconvenience but I would still do it. I'm sorry you're having to deal with this. What a pain!

[infocrazy]

Probably a long shot but what happened to the blood from the blood draw? Is it possible that they still have it and could test that?

[lalasmama]

Coming at this as a previous pediatric medical assistant for somewhere in the neighborhood of 12+ years....



We are leaving the pediatrician's office today when nurse C stops us and asks us to wait in the waiting room. She was on the phone with someone, I'm guessing now a supervisor or such. She steps out to find us and explains that apparently, nurse A or staff member B (whom I asked nurse A to get as back up because DS is not cooperative, he kicks and screams) who was in the room while administering an MMR vaccine to DS had a needle stick incident. I didn't hear nor see anyone get stuck, as I was laying halfway across DS upper half to keep him still. I was not aware until Nurse C, who was not in the room, told me.

First, thank you for letting them know upfront that he needed extra help! Parents tell us all the time, "Oh, he'll stay still!" when it's obvious they won't, but they don't want to scare him. It's going to suck and be scary with or without extra help in the room, but I honestly appreciate when a parent tells me to get help! As far as not seeing/hearing a needle stick, I've had a few in pediatrics specifically, and the parents have never been aware until we stopped them on the way out. There's 3 common ways this happens--trying to engage the "safety" latch on the syringe after use, an unexpected movement from someone causing the syringe to be bumped in an unanticipated way (most commonly a wayward kick from a mad kid when I thought I had cleared the "hit zone"), or an over-full sharps container. I've had needle sticks each of the above ways.


Fast forward a few hours, and we are in a meeting with our attorney on something completely separate and Nurse C calls me. She wants us to come back into the office for them to test DS for several things, now and 6 months from now. Guessing hepatitis and HIV. He has been a patient of this practice from newborn, is fully vaccinated, comes from a low risk home / family and has never had anything more concerning than an ear infection. Mentioned it to the attorney who also takes his kid to same Pediatrician, and he pointed out what's good for the goose is good for the gander. I take that to mean I should be looking for blood draws from the nurse as well - since I didn't observe what happened, how do I know what order the needle poking happened...


The testing is standard procedure in a needle stick. You are correct about what they will order--a Hep panel, and an HIV panel. It is 100% your choice whether to get this done. We are instructed to ask, so that we know up front if there was some exposure (say, for instance, HIV, so the anti-viral could be given immediately). The nurse will get the same blood work, along with a few others (typically, a urine drug screen, and maybe liver function testing). While you know he's 100% healthy and doesn't have anything, and while it sounds kind of silly, they aren't allowed to look in his chart to see that he's been 100% healthy. They aren't even supposed to use their personal knowledge of you/patient/family to distinguish possible risk. On a side note, kind of offended by your lawyer. Sounds like he/she suggested that the nurse poked herself with the needle and then poked him? No nurse in their right mind would do that. If it happens before we poke a kid (it's happened to me--I thought the other assistant had kid's hand, and she thought mom had it, and kid swiped at me and hit an uncapped and ready-to-go needle straight into my hand), then we all stop and go redraw. And, in that case, they wouldn't be asking you for a sample from your child, because that wouldn't be a "dirty" needle stick. I really don't like professions that call into doubt the scrupulousness of other professions :-/ Just not cool in my opinion.



So I'm calling back tomorrow to understand what the incident report said, what their standard operating procedure is, maybe speak to a practice or nurse manager or his pediatrician?, ask for access to blood testing results for not only my son but also the affected staff member... how do I word this? Is there anything else I should be asking for, even documentation wise? How might this affect his medical record?

This will vary a little bit depending on how your state does it. In my state, the source blood (patient) testing does not go in the patient's medical record as needle stick testing, however, the results may end up in the medical chart. We don't even put it in their chart that they were a part of a needle stick. Personally, I would refuse to let my test results, as the "victim" of the stick, to be handed out to the patient/parent, and would be fully ready to defend my position in court. First, it's not standard operating procedure. Second, that has private information about me, and enough to start potentially stealing my identity. Would you like that nurse to take home your child's medical test record (name, birthdate, home address, other identifiers)? No? But you want a copy of her's? As your lawyer said, "Turn about is fair play," right? Third, if you think she would be willing to poke your child with a dirty needle, then you really need to be finding a new pediatrician's office.


Backstory - DS is 3yo, and entering the local public school system for early education services. He has autism spectrum disorder and sensory processing disorder. He is working on his verbal skills, but is at nana-dada-hi-bye-ball-car level of expressive speech. He cannot indicate where or how many times he may have been stuck. We had to practice several times for today's office visit with his play doctor kit -- a simulation of being poked by the needle and running through what would happen. Still, today's visit upset him greatly. I'm dreading one or two more visits so close...

This makes my heart hurt. I know plenty of children (teens, even some adults!) just don't have the ability (maturity, really!) to see that we are more than just the needles :( I went into this profession because I love kids, and love getting to help keep them safe and healthy. Again, as I said above though, I think it's over-reaching to jump straight to the conclusion that he was poked, she was poked, and then he got poked again. For that to logically happen, someone would have ended up with scratches, and it would have been evident immediately to everyone involved.



We recently had another extra needle stick, two actually as his veins kept rolling and they couldn't draw enough blood. This was to draw blood for the MMR titer - result was that he didn't have enough immunity for measles hence today's visit. We are actually current on all vaccinations and this may never have been discovered except for a paperwork "technicality" that we and his ped were aware of but didn't expect to deal with till closer to kindergarten. His first MMR vaccine was at 11 months due to extended travel, and school system required 12 months. Hence the titer, hence the shot today. I'm exhausted - we've been doubling up on therapy sessions cause we are about to leave for 8 days before school starts in two weeks. Dealing with this is not what I had planned but we want to do the right thing.

If you decide to let him be tested (and again, you don't have to consent, and they can't do anything), then I would make an effort to have him seriously hydrated, and go to a children's hospital for the draw if at all possible. Hydration can help calm down rolly veins, and having someone who does tiny little veins, and sick little veins, and newborn little veins, and special-needs little veins can be immensely helpful and less traumatic.

Were you as concerned/cynical about the chance that your son was poked with a dirty needle before talking with your lawyer? Just a general question to think about, because, like I said before, I kind of think that calls into question the comfort you may or may not have with your pediatrician's office.

Again, not trying to sound harsh, and I'm truly sorry if it comes off that way! Needle sticks are just such a common thing to deal with, and I just hate to see my former profession's ethics called into question.

[Zukini]

Thank you all so, so much for your insights. I will ask about the blood drawn from the recent titer, but I doubt the lab keeps samples much past a few days and it's been a couple weeks. We will, in good faith, go in and comply with the request for the blood testing - and yes, I will ask about having the draw done at the children's hospital. We are definitely fans of this practice, and while nurse A and B weren't on my usual doctors team, Nurce C is familiar. I didn't mean to come across, and I apologize for it seeming so, that we are super focused on the needles part of it. The nursing and admin staff at this place are pretty awesome. We are really hands on with explaining processes to DS and even pausing the staff to introduce everyone - which we did today. I stooped down to his level and we all introduced ourselves despite the tears.

I was surprised at the attorney's comment too, as I never for a moment thought about it in that way until he said it. But really, no rational health professional would do something like that. It made me pause as the actual vaccination happened so fast once we got him on the table, that I was really scratching my head for when the needle stick occurred. And I certainly didnt visualize that it could have happened while trying to recap the needle etc. thank you for that perspective.

[mommy111]

1) your poor baby! I am sorry :(
2) your lawyer is an ass
3) if you're seriously concerned that the needle stick may have happened before your child got the shot (as Lalasmom pointed out above, extremely unlikely), you can totally ask for the nurses test results and they will give them to you. Not her name etc but just the results. If it gives you peace of mind, ask for them!
4) if it helps to know, risk of any infection transmission with a vaccine shot is very very very low

[HannaAddict]

I don't think for a second that the lawyer meant that nurse stuck the child as retaliation or at all - no idea how that was derived. The comment good for the goose, good for the gander, I took to mean if the child was being tested then the nurse who was stuck needed to be tested as well. Lawyers protect people's rights and all he meant was that the nurse should also be tested which it sounds like is common practice.


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[mommy111]

I don't think for a second that the lawyer meant that nurse stuck the child as retaliation or at all - no idea how that was derived. The comment good for the goose, good for the gander, I took to mean if the child was being tested then the nurse who was stuck needed to be tested as well. Lawyers protect people's rights and all he meant was that the nurse should also be tested which it sounds like is common practice.


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I don't think anyone said the lawyer suggested retaliation.....at least I didn't mean to say that. He implied the nurse lied and that she was stuck first followed by OPs DS.

[JBaxter]

I don't think so either. I think his/her "law brain" kicked in to make sure the nurse was stuck AFTER the injection was given and she did not continue with the immunization after she had stuck herself. We would all like to think our health care professionals are that ... professional but its not always the case. Sometimes in the heat of the moment things happen. I would ask for an account of the incident before agreeing to the blood draw. I would also like to see the nurses blood work and you may ask for and email or letter stating that before agreeing to your childs blood draw. Is all that over kill probably but its your child and that blood draw is going to traumatize the hell out of the child. This might sound horrible and I have a family of nurses & health care professionals but I would have to really consider it before agreeing to it.

[BunnyBee]

I agree with Hanna Addict. If you didn't see the stick or know when it could have happened, how do you know she wasn't stuck first? Your lawyer was trying to protect your son too. As a lawyer who deals with medical professionals all the time, they're not different from the rest of the population. Nurses and doctors get confused or CYA or yeah, even flat out lie. Your job is to protect your kid, not the unknown medical professional. You wouldn't have a right to the nurse's blood test results specifically or any identifying information on her, but you should have a right to know whether your son is at risk for any blood-borne illnesses.

[123LuckyMom]

The point lalasmama was making us that only a grossly unethical or incompetent nurse would EVER use a used needle on a patient. And the nurse would know the needle was not sterile since she was the one who was stuck. To suspect that the nurse may have been stuck first and then used the needle is to accuse that nurse of gross incompetence and or intentional (and criminal) malice. It seems that the OP has no reason to suspect her pediatrician's nursing staff, or this nurse in particular, is either grossly incompetent or criminally malicious, so requesting medical information from the nurse is not necessary and, for lack of a better term, assholian.

I'm so sorry this happened, OP, because the multiple needle sticks are so hard on your child, but I think you're very thoughtful to comply and provide the sample. I do hope you'll be able to mitigate the negative effects on your child. It's a sucky situation all around, but try not to take it personally. Nobody really suspects your child is a danger. All of this is just paperwork for insurance purposes.


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[robinsmommy]

Wouldn't the lawyer be trying to make sure his client is protected against lawsuits BY the nurse? For the child potentially infecting her, if anything happened, and that would be why her blood tests would be good to have, to prove that she had the infection before the needle stick?

We all know this is unlikely, but I think the lawyer is just doing his job and making sure that his client is protected, both from lawsuits by the nurse, and for the potential exposure to the child if the nurse got a needle stick first.

I think at the very least, getting a better description of what happened from the office is a good idea.

[BunnyBee]

The point lalasmama was making us that only a grossly unethical or incompetent nurse would EVER use a used needle on a patient. And the nurse would know the needle was not sterile since she was the one who was stuck. To suspect that the nurse may have been stuck first and then used the needle is to accuse that nurse of gross incompetence and or intentional (and criminal) malice. It seems that the OP has no reason to suspect her pediatrician's nursing staff, or this nurse in particular, is either grossly incompetent or criminally malicious, so requesting medical information from the nurse is not necessary and, for lack of a better term, assholian.

I'm so sorry this happened, OP, because the multiple needle sticks are so hard on your child, but I think you're very thoughtful to comply and provide the sample. I do hope you'll be able to mitigate the negative effects on your child. It's a sucky situation all around, but try not to take it personally. Nobody really suspects your child is a danger. All of this is just paperwork for insurance purposes.


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If it happened so quickly that OP didn't see it and no one in the room even reacted, it wouldn't be malice. It would be an accident for which there should be protocols in place to protect both patients and nurses. No one is suggesting the nurse stuck herself first in the hallway. If both got stuck in the flurry, it is plausible that the needle stuck the nurse first or even child-nurse-child.

[calebsmama03]

Wouldn't the lawyer be trying to make sure his client is protected against lawsuits BY the nurse? For the child potentially infecting her, if anything happened, and that would be why her blood tests would be good to have, to prove that she had the infection before the needle stick?

We all know this is unlikely, but I think the lawyer is just doing his job and making sure that his client is protected, both from lawsuits by the nurse, and for the potential exposure to the child if the nurse got a needle stick first.

I think at the very least, getting a better description of what happened from the office is a good idea.

This was my take, too. I can see where a medical professional would be offended at the implication BUT it's also offensive to suggest a small child could have such an illness. This is how I read the "turnabout" comment.

[AngB]

Maybe I am the only one but I wouldn't drag my kid through more bloodwork for this. What if they get stuck again trying to draw blood for the check? It's not like it changes the outcome in any way.

[robinsmommy]

Maybe I am the only one but I wouldn't drag my kid through more bloodwork for this. What if they get stuck again trying to draw blood for the check? It's not like it changes the outcome in any way.

If you were the nurse, wouldn't you want to know sooner than later? Wouldn't her sex partners and family deserve to know, if possible? They can use a numbing agent to make things easier. And a change of venue for the draw may help as well.

[mikala]

Maybe I am the only one but I wouldn't drag my kid through more bloodwork for this. What if they get stuck again trying to draw blood for the check? It's not like it changes the outcome in any way.No, I definitely thought the same, especially in a situation where the subsequent blood draws are likely to be a big deal to the child.

At minimum I'd want to get more details about the incident and sequence of events and would want to make sure my pediatrician was personally aware before my kid went through blood testing. I'd also be interested in knowing whether the act of testing would affect the nurses treatment. If it doesn't change anything for her either way whether she has proof of the negative result than there's less reason for the test.

[basil]

It should not affect your sons medical record.

It is typical procedure to do blood tests on the patient if a needlestick injury happens to a health care provider. I have been invoked a few times, been stuck once and stuck someone else another time. It sucks all around.

The reason for testing the source patient (your son) is to provide peace of mind to the nurse but also because if the source patient has HIV/hepatitis then the nurse could take prophylactic medications to decrease the chances of getting infected herself. I think with a low risk "unknown" source patient (such as your son) the recommendation would still not be to take prophylaxis.

Though I would take my own kids for a blood draw in this situation, I would not blame you for not getting extra blood draws with your sons history regarding blood draws and needles.

I don't get the concern about testing the nurse. Don't think that makes much sense.

[basil]

Wouldn't the lawyer be trying to make sure his client is protected against lawsuits BY the nurse? For the child potentially infecting her, if anything happened, and that would be why her blood tests would be good to have, to prove that she had the infection before the needle stick?


This is standard to do this blood work on the nurse as well at the time of the incident.

[Zukini]

Thank you all for your feedback. Nurse C called me this morning and provided more details regarding the incident (needle stick was after the actual vaccination before the needle was recapped, and it was Nurse B who was helping to hold DS legs who was stuck). Their clinical supervisor called me this afternoon and we agreed to the blood testing for DS at this time but not in their office, but at the local children's hospital satellite unit. She also agreed to my request for a formal letter for my files from the practice detailing the incident and the follow up. They will, of course, cover all lab costs incurred from the testing. But my concern is for his medical and insurance or insurability record in future, since everything is electronic these days, and who knows how it will be "connected" in future with testing my three year old for HIV and hepatitis.... at least I can file it away, and have something to fall back on if we are randomly questioned about it in future. She also said she would look into doing the testing under an alias, but wasn't sure how that would work just yet. They both assured me that DS is not at risk, and due to HIPAA etc will not be releasing the staff results to us. I'm okay with that.

Clinical Supervisor thanked us for being cooperative and understanding, and reiterated how much training they did with their staff, and that this would be reviewed for lessons learned. She also apologized for the inconvenience and stress caused.

So we still have to go in and do the draw, but I am hopeful the phlebotomy crew will be super skilled. She did mention restraints, but I think that might be a really bad idea with DS. He does really well with things like car seats etc now and I don't want restraints to become an issue for him... any office with crinkly paper aka a doctors office exam bed makes him cry upon entry as it is. Will discuss the gameplan for a successful draw with the hospital staff before we actually go in and take DH along for support. Thank you all.

[icunurse]

Ok, this is from a nurses standpoint - thank you. People have no idea how terrifying even the most "innocent" of needle sticks can be. I have been exposed to thousands and thousands of needles, blood products, bodily fluids, etc. 20+ years of nursing in the NICU and trauma ICU and I have been fortunate enough to have 1 needle stick. It was about as low risk as one could hope (probably not even blood exposure...needle from pushing an IV med -before the needless system- barely pricked my finger). But I remember every detail. I remember having to go to the ER to discuss my risks and determine if I needed to start meds that could potentially make me quite sick. I remember getting my blood drawn. I remember the family being quite kind about getting their Moms blood drawn (it was done by anonymous number, so it never made it to her chart). I remember the relief of finding out she was negative for everything and so was I. I remember going back 6 months later and being nervous to hear my follow-up testing (obviously the patient did not get any further testing). This happened probably 15 years ago and I remember it all. So thank you for caring for the nurse enough to take some of the stress off of her.

I can also assure you that I don't know any nurse that would reuse a contaminated needle. You could tell me that I have a lifesaving med in my hand and if I contaminated it in any way, I wouldn't be able to do it. You just get a new med, do a new draw, do things at a later date. It's not worth the risk of contamination. This is why nursing is consistently voted the most trusted profession.

Also, in regard to having HIV and hepatitis tests on your child's record....I don't think it will mean anything. Both of my children were adopted and had many tests done after birth in an abundance of caution and there has ever been an issue (the point is especially moot when results are negative).

Anyway, thanks again from a nurse.

[lalasmama]

Thank you all for your feedback. Nurse C called me this morning and provided more details regarding the incident (needle stick was after the actual vaccination before the needle was recapped, and it was Nurse B who was helping to hold DS legs who was stuck). Their clinical supervisor called me this afternoon and we agreed to the blood testing for DS at this time but not in their office, but at the local children's hospital satellite unit. She also agreed to my request for a formal letter for my files from the practice detailing the incident and the follow up. They will, of course, cover all lab costs incurred from the testing. But my concern is for his medical and insurance or insurability record in future, since everything is electronic these days, and who knows how it will be "connected" in future with testing my three year old for HIV and hepatitis.... at least I can file it away, and have something to fall back on if we are randomly questioned about it in future. She also said she would look into doing the testing under an alias, but wasn't sure how that would work just yet. They both assured me that DS is not at risk, and due to HIPAA etc will not be releasing the staff results to us. I'm okay with that.

Clinical Supervisor thanked us for being cooperative and understanding, and reiterated how much training they did with their staff, and that this would be reviewed for lessons learned. She also apologized for the inconvenience and stress caused.

So we still have to go in and do the draw, but I am hopeful the phlebotomy crew will be super skilled. She did mention restraints, but I think that might be a really bad idea with DS. He does really well with things like car seats etc now and I don't want restraints to become an issue for him... any office with crinkly paper aka a doctors office exam bed makes him cry upon entry as it is. Will discuss the gameplan for a successful draw with the hospital staff before we actually go in and take DH along for support. Thank you all.

They will probably discuss the papoose board. http://www.natus.com/index.cfm?page=products_1&crid=242 They also have an arm board http://www.medline.com/category/IV-Armboards/Z05-CA19_02 that they may use. Both are fairly common to use in a children's lab. The papoose board can be kind of scary, unless he's one that likes tight, squishy squeezes. The good news (good being relative, of course) is that it's pretty darn tough for a kid to wiggle on the papoose board, so that takes out the moving target out of the equation. And, these are the people that deal with the tiny, sick, and difficult veins; a 3 year old with autism isn't going to be anything "new" for them--it's their bread and butter.

Hope it goes well for you guys!

[HannaAddict]

I don't think anyone said the lawyer suggested retaliation.....at least I didn't mean to say that. He implied the nurse lied and that she was stuck first followed by OPs DS.

Why would she need the child to be tested if she was stuck prjor to needle sticking the child? I have no idea then what lala was saying nefarious that the lawyer said, but think the lawyer just meant both should be tested.

I doubt any nurse would give her test results out and not sure the relevance if she was stuck after.


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[JBaxter]

I'm pretty sure the nurse will also have a baseline blood draw done. It would show if she had active hepatitis or HIV neither of which would show up 24 hrs after a needle stick. Even working in the dental field I had titers drawn for HepB every few years.

[dogmom]

This was my take, too. I can see where a medical professional would be offended at the implication BUT it's also offensive to suggest a small child could have such an illness. This is how I read the "turnabout" comment.

One is implying a health care professional acting illegally and unethically and knowing stuck themselves and then a child with a dirty needle.

The other is taking offense because someone is ruling out the possibility that a child has a contagious disease. Which therefor implies that having said disease is offensive. There is a difference.

Other posters have managed to convey how health care professionals deal with needle sticks. I get that the average person doesn't know how this works and has baggage about hepatitis and HIV. Most health professionals I know got past that by the turn of the century. From my point of view as a nurse I have been assaulted (verbally and physically), ruined by body, worked horrible schedules, missed holidays with my family, had needles sticks, driven in to work when the average person was told to stay home during emergency situations, went to the hospital during terrorist actions, and generally thought that was part of my job to care for people. So if someone says "I don't want to put my child through two blood draws" I am sympathetic. But to have a knee jerk reaction that somehow the nurse is the one to be tested would piss off a lot of health care professionals given what we do for the public.

[Kindra178]

Sorry, I am just a bit confused. If your ds was stuck with a clean needle for his shot and then the nurse got stuck afterwards - is the ped practice suggesting your ds get blood work to make sure he doesn't have a blood transmitted disease? If that's the case, I would just go with it. Most good child phlebotomists can take a child's blood almost painlessly. It's the doctor's office's staff that makes it more traumatic. Phlebotomists at a children's hospital do it all day, every day.


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[MSWR0319]

If he is afraid of the pain, definitely ask for some numbing cream! It has to go on before you get there. My son has sensory issues and is terrified of the needle, the numbing cream has done wonders for him.