Blood tests and Picc line.

All my bloods are taken via the picc x

Hi, mine were all taken with a needle by the district nurse x

Thank you.  Is this at a chemo unit or the general hospital blood testing unit? 

Best Wishes

David

Thank you. Sorry for follow up questions but did the nurse visit you or did you go to the hospital?   Did you have a picc line? 

Best Wishes

David.

Hi, I had a PICC line in for the chemo but the D/N visited me at home to take the blood, most are not trained in the use of using lines, it was fine for me because I have good veins x

Thanks, that is a great service.  There is no option for the district nurse to visit me to take bloods the day before chemo.  It is also a difficult journey for me to get to the hospital due to traffic so it takes 25 mins to an hr depending on time of day.  

I have seen there is a trial so patients can take their own blood at home and then the blood is analysed using a supplied machine with results sent immediately to the chemo unit.  Sounds great and would save so much staff and patient time.  

Best Wishes

David

Clatterbridge have a phlebo unit separate which does them for me, but they’re all trained in PICC bloods and they change the dressing too when I go :) 

It’s important that they’re trained as it has to be strict ANTT so you definitely don’t want someone doing them that isnt trained 

Thanks for the info. 

I have found out that at the L&D the separate phlebo unit staff are only trained to take bloods with needles, they are not trained to use picc lines so cannot. 

Only the chemo staff can use picc lines for bloods and they do not have the resource or space to offer this service to all those with picc  lines.  Otherwise they would no time to administer chemo!  They prioritise breast cancer patients and the rest of us have to have bloods taken in the phebo unit. 

After discussion the chemo unit have agreed to prioritise me so my picc line can be used for bloods but I might have to wait when attending. 

 A frustrating day for me yesterday but now sorted. 

Best Wishes

David