Any nurses or phlebotomists about?

[Spudulike3]

Hi all. I had blood taken recently but the first two times the attempt failed ( not a pleasant experience). The nurse said well I can get someone else to have a go and I said ok. The second nurse comes into the room and starts saying she doesn't have the right needle type. I say go and get what you need. She does and the blood sampling is successful this time (thank goodness). Now, the needles the first nurse was trying to use we're yellow and I later learnt that these are 20g guage. Are these an appropriate size to use to sample blood? I guess I'm wondering if the second nurse was expressing a personal preference or detected that something was wrong. I'd just like to know as I'm going back for another test and I'd like to avoid problems happening again. Thanks in advance!

Green 21g is the default size for us but Blue 23G if patients have small veins that may be trickier to get, because it gives a little flash of blood at the base of the needle so you know you are definitely in the vein.
It’s not unusual for trickier patients to say ‘they always use a blue needle on me’ if they’ve had people struggle with them in the past.
Sorry you had such an awful experience, we do all miss people occasionally though and may need a colleague to try, although I’ve never used a yellow needle so can’t comment on that being the issue.
To makes things easier, do always make sure you drink plenty of water before a test, being hydrated makes it easier to find your veins. I hope when you next have your blood test things go more smoothly for you, but they won’t mind you asking them to use a blue needle.

I bloody love Mumsnet (no pun intended)
This kind of thing is always so fab. I love what I learn here

I usually have to have a butterfly needle used on me - a small one! I have no idea about sizes but I know paediatric needles have failed on me. I have very shy veins - they are visible (and I assume palpable) but they collapse as soon as a needle goes near them.

Same as @DilemmaDelilah I have impossible veins and they always use a butterfly on me, but I don't know what size that is. If in doubt, go straight to phlebotomy, they do not mess about.

Ive been taking blood for over 30 years. Its the colour of the needle that counts, not the length. You get yellow butterflies and also 1.5 inch "blue" needles. I only ever use a butterfly in the back of an adults hand , I wont use a butterfly in the arm. I will adjust needle gauge though. Some tests is better to use the larger gauge needles, cuts down the chance of hemolysing the sample which will mess up the results, same as some tests you dont use a tourniquet and some you dont make a fist etc
I will use a butterfly on tiny children though with tiny little pedi tubes. I hate drawing children.

Thanks everyone! Blood taken again today with a very skilled nurse who said she was using the baby needles (which from what you've said I assume meant the blue ones). I'll know what to keep an eye out for in the future. Yellow ones - no thanks!

My blood is difficult to draw and I have been told that they used a black needle