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Author
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Topic: While drawing blood
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Lemingtyne
Knowflake Posts: 100
From: U.S.
Registered: May 2005
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posted October 10, 2005 11:46 PM
 
My new job involves drawing blood from people who participate in a health stuy, and I'm comfortable enough with it, BUT
While I'm preparing to draw I often have participants tell me about skilled technicians they've had who chatted with them to distract them from what was going on (hint, hint).
I want to be able to do this too, but I'm not naturally very chatty, and their hints put pressure on me to try to think of something to talk about, so I look around me for ideas, and all I see is the needle, the vein, etc. and it feels more natural for me to talk about what I'm doing than about anything else.
My question is - What can I talk about while drawing blood?
What would you want someone to talk to you about in this situation to keep your mind off of what's going on? I need ideas for SAFE topics, so I can have them in mind & not desperately blurt out something crazy or offensive! (Or just stay quiet, which is what I usually do.)
Thanks a bunch!!!!!!!!IP: Logged |
SunChild
Moderator Posts: 1988
From: Oz
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted October 11, 2005 01:37 AM
I've learned some good conversational skills that I use in sales. (I'm not chatty type either, but this works)
Asking questions is the key.
Ask the first question like; how are you today? And no matter what their answer is try to get them to elaborate.
But try to ask open ended questions, not the yes/no ones.
Fish out what they mention if they mention for example...the whether/kids/homelife/job/cars... whatever, respond with a question.
Like: how so?/ why's that?/ what happend next? ect...If they answer your first question with yes/no thing, then you might feel stuck, if that happens comment on their handbag, jewellery or whatever. Ask more questions even if they're lame. Remember, questions questions questions. But if the person doens't respond well, I'd stop interrogating them...(might make them more nervous)... Also, if you follow the news and current events, stuff that is not too controversial, mention them. Like so, did you hear about this?/did you see that? ...and again, whatever they answer with try to get them to elaborate with more questions. By then you might find yourself in a conversation without knowing it. Hope that helps a bit...  ------------------
Follow your own rainbow IP: Logged |
Lemingtyne
Knowflake Posts: 100
From: U.S.
Registered: May 2005
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posted October 11, 2005 09:49 PM
SunChild,
Thanks! Those are good ideas.
Often, by the time I get to the blood draw I've already been through a long interview with the person, asking them all about their health... but there are always more questions to ask! 
IP: Logged |
AcousticGod
Knowflake Posts: 2809
From: Pleasanton, CA, USA
Registered: May 2005
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posted October 12, 2005 01:38 AM
Yeah, I was going to suggest asking questions too. If you're a female, you could try asking the males if they're married, see where that leads. If you're single you may even get a date. Ask about movies, or books. How's the love life? Comment on something they're wearing that isn't attached to the arm you're poking. What might be the easiest thing, is to remember what extraneous info the person gave you while they were being interviewed in the first place, and continue that discussion: So you said you have two kids? Names and ages? So you're an artist? What kind of stuff do you do? So you're unemployed? What happened? What field were you in? Have you ever considered doing something different -going in a different direction? So you've had a heart attack (or other ailment you found out about during your interview), scary huh? IP: Logged | |
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