Today my younger sister and I had to have a blood work test done. It did not start out promising, as after my sister and I checked in on the machines for our appointment at around 8:10AM, we waited on one of the empty spots on the floor because there was room. We thought, since other people in the room were also clearly waiting for their turn on each of the spots, that's what we were supposed to do. Not so. We did not get to read her nametag, and I'm sorry to use race as my only description, but her hair and her face were all we could see; a Caucasian phlebotomist with tall grayish-blond hair irritably told us that we were standing in spots only for those waiting to check in, and we had to wait in the hall outside. We thought her rudeness was unnecessary, as we hadn't been here during COVID-procedures before and there was no signage to indicate the distinction between where we were waiting and any of the other stickers on the floor.
A short while later, between 8:15AM and 8:35AM, as my sister and I had gone to the blood drawing rooms and I was giving our information to Teresa -- (lovely lady, I'll get to her in a moment)-- my sister overheard the same phlebotomist who told us to wait outside speaking VERY angrily to another phlebotomist (sorry I don't know if every worker there is a phlebotomist or not). According to my sister, she was perhaps two octaves away from yelling at a coworker "not to switch around the order/schedule of HER patients" or something like that. I myself was very distracted with filling the forms and trying to coordinate with my dad's arrival as well as keep my sister calm, so I didn't hear this myself and we were in a corner cubicle so my sister didn't hear fully what else this worker was saying.
We think of ourselves as patient and understanding people. We appreciate health care workers and educators and all the front line people dealing with extra stress and work. However, this particular lady's attitude was super off-putting and unprofessional.You wouldn't want someone in that kind of a huff sticking a needle into your arm. Her lack of respect, especially toward her coworker, was appalling, whether she was having a bad day or not. We hope it was just a bad day for , and that it's not her normal behavior. I think she would've done well to take a moment to herself before rounding on her coworker like that. My poor sister who was traumatized by a previous blood-drawing experience elsewhere had added tension, and I'm sure it was not pleasant for anyone else who may have heard either. I hope someone speaks to her about this because the other coworker, no matter how they may or may not have messed up, didn't deserve that.
Okay, while that doesn't sound good (and it wasn't) thankfully that was NOT the entirety of our experience, nor ours directly. Today both my sister and I were attended to by Teresa. As previously mentioned, my sister had never been for a regular blood draw before, only once at the ER which was traumatic for her, especially since we both had strong needle/blood phobias in our childhood that she of course, being traumatized, is having a harder time working through. Teresa was exceedingly patient, soothing, and nonjudgemental of my sister's fear (which I hadn't explained the cause for her), and with me for being a little mistakes-heavy today with some of our form info. I have been to Quest Diagnostics myself twice previously, (both excellent experiences both times) but forgot that last time I had my blood drawn, there was a room we could lay down in, and when I remembered, Teresa didn't complain or seem to have any irritation. She was very sweet about allowing us to move in there so my sister could be a little more calm, even though of course that would mean extra sterilization she would have to do. Teresa was very helpful in answering any of my questions and adding her own reassurances for my sister. She was very accommodating, allowing my dad and I to be with my sister and even bringing up chairs for us as well.
I am supremely grateful to Teresa putting up with my chatter and participating with it, as I wanted to help my sister via distraction without making her feel more worried or embarrassed. When we had our blood drawn, Teresa was very detail-oriented, having us double-check the info for our vials, explaining what she needed from us before and during each step of the blood draw, all while also saying encouraging things to my sister. Every phlebotomist I've had experience with here has been just as kind and competent as Teresa, but it is down to Teresa specifically that I've been moved to make a post about. I believed that my sister's first experience would be key to helping get on the road to healing from the previous blood/needle phobia trauma and Teresa was so wonderful and I am so thankful for her graciousness. While my sister was a bit too caught up to say anything at the moment, I know this has helped her and from my entire family, thank you Teresa! read more