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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

How to Get a Blood Test

Getting a blood test is an excellent indicator of your health, as results can determine if you have illnesses such as glandular fever or if you have problems with cholesterol levels that need to be controlled by taking statins, for example.

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Steps

    1
    Go see your GP. They will evaluate whether you need a blood test or not; if you do need one your GP will prescribe it.
    2
    Take your prescription to your nearest hospital and go to the receptionist with this. She will give you an appointment.
    3
    When you are called in, you will be given a nurse. He/She may ask questions of verification once she has examined the prescription (to check that you are really you, and not someone else).
    4
    Relax your arm; do not clench the muscles. Your palm should be facing up. A needle (syringe) will be inserted into a vein and the nurse will draw sufficient blood needed for examination. (I closed my eyes at this part.) It does NOT hurt normally, so don't fret!
        That's it! Your blood will be sent off for examination, so you can go back to work/school/home/anywhere else and continue daily life. Remember; keep it bandaged the way the clinic left it, for a while. Otherwise, you will bleed substantially. Alternatively, just hold the wool there for a little while.


 Tips

    Take a mechanical pencil and press it a little bit to your skin. There! That's how much the needle will hurt.Only in a very small an tight space. Trust me. It only feels like a tiny pencil bumping into your skin.

Warnings

    Make sure that the puncture area does not get infected (so don't go scraping your arm on the floor, or something like that). Also, spilling lemon juice or any other acid on the area can hurt. Not advisable; maybe miss a food tech practical if you have one on that day.

Things You'll Need

    You will need a prescription from your GP - you can't just waltz into a hospital asking for some blood out of your arm.
    May require a parent/close friend who will let you hold their hand.

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