Aibu | Mumsnet

YourMerryLeader · 2026-03-28T12:34:02+00:00

I have regular blood tests.At the last test, the nurse (who has taken my bloods many times) asked if I ever had problems having bloods taken and I said I didn't. She said my veins were awful.The next thing, there is blood coming out of my arm and on to my seat and coat.The nurse swore (the "f' word) and mopped up the blood.She used my other arm to draw another sample.Both arms were bruised. AIBU to think the nurse should not have said my veins were awful and that she should not have sworn?

Eenameenadeeka · 28/03/2026 19:49

Well it wasn't professional to swear but it wouldn't really bother me in that situation.
I've been told that I have bad veins before, I don't find it offensive.

BauhausOfEliott · 28/03/2026 19:19

None of this would bother me in the least.

Last year I was in hospital for two weeks and eventually my vein situation was so bad that they were taking blood from my hand, wrist and foot. I didn’t take it personally!

parkezvous · 28/03/2026 19:11

Honestly are you that bored OP?! You’re lucky if that’s all you have to worry about

Morepositivemum · 28/03/2026 18:00

It’s good that you know there’re terrible so that you can say it to the next person taking blood and they might be able to do something or get someone else to take it. Op she’s human and was under pressure. You can complain but given the stressful conditions nurses work under I do t think it’s fair to

Tempodrom · 28/03/2026 17:51

My veins are awful. Luckily I don’t take it as a personal slight. I have no idea why you’d be offended by this. Mine are due to previous chemo and yes after 3 people have tried to site a cannula and they’ve then had to get the portable ultrasound out I’ve heard a swear more than once. (Most recently last Saturday in the ED). Not something to get worked up about.

TMFF · 28/03/2026 15:41

likelysuspect · 28/03/2026 13:03

Well she shouldnt have sworn but as someone with 'terrible veins', Im often told they're terrible and I tell them as I walk through the door that they're terrible too.

Yes, my husband always gives them the heads up!

TMFF · 28/03/2026 15:40

My poor husband has veins that are absolutely awful when they try to take blood, in fact it can take up to an hour as they keep 'blowing'.

It's never occurred to him to be offended by this fact, no matter how often the nurses and doctors say it.

And he's normally the one swearing 😊

Listlostlast · 28/03/2026 15:34

I don’t think this was ideal, by any stretch, but I also don’t think it’s worth getting het up about generally. I can’t remember exact wording but I nearly always get comments about what a nightmare I am to get blood from, it just is what it is, and I have definitely accidentally sworn in surprise before, even in less than ideal circumstances. Of course if she was swearing in a temper at you, that is rather different but it doesn’t sound like that’s the case.

Livpool · 28/03/2026 15:30

likelysuspect · 28/03/2026 13:03

Well she shouldnt have sworn but as someone with 'terrible veins', Im often told they're terrible and I tell them as I walk through the door that they're terrible too.

Same!

UniquePinkSwan · 28/03/2026 14:50

I wouldn’t care about any of this

Sosaidkaye · 28/03/2026 14:48

I’ve had nurses get frustrated because they couldn’t get blood from me a number of times. Sometimes it feels like they are getting annoyed at you for something you have no control over. They shouldn’t do that. It’s part of their job and it’s not fair on the patient.
If it is a genuine case that they swear because they are surprised by something and it just slips out, fair enough. They should not curse because they are frustrated and definitely not to convey frustration. Part of being a healthcare professional is the ability to stay calm even under pressure otherwise a&e would be full of doctors and nurses going around swearing and yelling at patients.
It is very unnerving when a doctor or nurse is tense, irritable or visibly stressed especially when you’re feeling vulnerable.

MacchiatoMavis · 28/03/2026 14:19

Oh. My. God.

Not the F word? I'm surprised you didn't faint on the spot OP.

The F word. I don't think I could recover from that. Hope you logged it with 101?

ColdAsAWitches · 28/03/2026 14:16

Have you never jumped and swore in surprise before? It was a sudden reaction to an unexpected event - after nothing was happening, suddenly there's blood every, as you said yourself. It was just an instinctive, surprised reaction.

Original poster

YourMerryLeader · 28/03/2026 13:35

Yes I always drink before getting bloods done.
There wasn't much I could say to the nurse about her comment, I have no idea what my veins are like but no HCP has made any comment before, good or bad.
I didn't challenge the nurse, I had blood running down my arm and on my clothes, I wanted my bloods taken and to go home, not to challenge someone who will be taking my bloods again in the future.

OP posts:

KickboxingWanker · 28/03/2026 13:32

I’m always told my veins are awful because they, the swearing wouldn’t bother me either.

Middletoleft · 28/03/2026 13:32

I got told recently that I had "delicate" veins. Four attempts and three different staff later they got what they wanted. I wasn't impressed but appreciated they needed to do it.

No-one swore, that was definitely non professional.

elfendom1 · 28/03/2026 13:32

Your veins aren't 'awful', she is just not that good at drawing blood. Some people aren't even it they do it daily and thus most of the time when that phrase is used 'bad veins' it's simply excusing how poor they are at their job.

ilovesooty · 28/03/2026 13:28

YourMerryLeader · 28/03/2026 13:14

I have regular bloods taken including by this nurse who has taken my bloods many many times.Neither she nor anyone else has had problems taking my bloods in the past so to get told out of the blue that my veins were "awful' was unexpected.I have never bled like that when having bloods taken, it was a shock to me and quite scary to be honest!She swore as she was cleaning up the blood from my coat.IMHO, she should not have sworn.
i think its ok to ask if the patient has problems taking bloods , not offended at that, just confused as to why after years of regular tests she commented that my veins were awful when I have never previously had any problems.

So why didn't you say something?

If you couldn't say anything about it at the time and aren't prepared to offer feedback now, what did you want from the thread?

dizzydizzydizzy · 28/03/2026 13:26

i also have very regular blood tests. Usually my veins are praised but once I was told I had bad ones. I suspect I was a little dehydrated on that occasion.

OP - make sure you have a large glass of water an hour or so beforehand.

i agree the nurse shouldn’t have sworn but I’d just forget about it.

youalright · 28/03/2026 13:24

YourMerryLeader · 28/03/2026 13:14

I have regular bloods taken including by this nurse who has taken my bloods many many times.Neither she nor anyone else has had problems taking my bloods in the past so to get told out of the blue that my veins were "awful' was unexpected.I have never bled like that when having bloods taken, it was a shock to me and quite scary to be honest!She swore as she was cleaning up the blood from my coat.IMHO, she should not have sworn.
i think its ok to ask if the patient has problems taking bloods , not offended at that, just confused as to why after years of regular tests she commented that my veins were awful when I have never previously had any problems.

Had you drank plenty of water that day

Original poster

YourMerryLeader · 28/03/2026 13:14

I have regular bloods taken including by this nurse who has taken my bloods many many times.Neither she nor anyone else has had problems taking my bloods in the past so to get told out of the blue that my veins were "awful' was unexpected.I have never bled like that when having bloods taken, it was a shock to me and quite scary to be honest!She swore as she was cleaning up the blood from my coat.IMHO, she should not have sworn.
i think its ok to ask if the patient has problems taking bloods , not offended at that, just confused as to why after years of regular tests she commented that my veins were awful when I have never previously had any problems.

OP posts:

ilovesooty · 28/03/2026 13:12

YourMerryLeader · 28/03/2026 12:47

I think it unprofessional to tell a patient their veins were "awful"- this nurse has taken my bloods many times without any problems at all.To swear when my arm was bleeding was not acceptable!Also, if my arm was bleeding, why couldn't that blood have been collected?
I'm not going to complain, I have to use their services on a regular basis.

Well if you aren't going to complain, what was stopping you challenging her at the time?

likelysuspect · 28/03/2026 13:05

Jblggs · 28/03/2026 12:36

Very unprofessional from the nurse & not at all reassuring. I'd be requesting a different nurse for future blood tests.

And out goes another NHS worker. Well done.

BillieWiper · 28/03/2026 13:04

I'd be more upset she bodged it to the point it could've damaged my clothing.
I've never heard a nurse say fuck. It's not professional.
She also could've said your veins were very small, she didn't need to say 'awful'. Again very unprofessional language.

likelysuspect · 28/03/2026 13:03

Well she shouldnt have sworn but as someone with 'terrible veins', Im often told they're terrible and I tell them as I walk through the door that they're terrible too.