Category: LOL Moments

Normally when a patient were to ask what container can be used to put a stool sample in, we would just say any clean container will do as long as it can be closed shut. An older lady called and asked what she can collect her stool in. We told her that it doesn't have… Continue reading Jar of Poop

This story happened back before our previous lab manager retired. Talk about a dry sense of humor, hers is as dry as the sands in the desert! A nurse walked in and asked what the difference is between serum and plasma. She gave her the whole lecture that the difference is whether or not an… Continue reading Serum vs Plasma

Before becoming an MLT, I was employed as a Clinical Laboratory Assistant. I clearly remember my VERY exciting first week with my first CLA position. I was still new at drawing blood, but was becoming more confident as time went on. I was on a hot streak of no missed sticks for that particular day,… Continue reading Out Like A Light

At times, there’s a thin line between downright stupidity and overwhelming curiosity. Here’s my dry ice story. One time, an order of frozen reagents came in and was shipped in dry ice. I had a legit hypothesis and my goal is to carbonize water. After all, if conditions are right with temperature and pressure, it… Continue reading Don’t Play with Dry Ice

A few years ago, we received a pinworm paddle with poo smeared all over all sides of it....and a small amount of blood. Apparently, she did not read her directions and had SHOVED that entire pinworm paddle up her little kid's little butt. Ouch poor guy. It makes me angry and heartache all at the… Continue reading Pinworm Paddle Mishap

I was a fairly new phlebotomist at a rural hospital that got in patients from all over. One day I get a call down to Emergency for a blood draw. The patient was from a correctional facility who had started a fight and was there due to their fight protocol since blood was shed.  I… Continue reading Scared of Needles

I don’t know about other schools, but the MedTech school I went to had a certain way of doing things. When we started learning about phlebotomy, we didn’t have a dummy at all to practice on—we had to practice on our classmates (all human and can feel pain). ? However, what’s more interesting, is when… Continue reading Semen Analysis at School

It’s the middle of the night and I went out to do a timed draw. I walk into the patient’s room and the nurse was trying to get the patient off the bed pan and was waiting for someone to come assist her. She told me to come back later when they're done so I… Continue reading Trying to Help

We got a call from a hospital saying that a patient just had a bad transfusion reaction. We instructed them to stop the transfusion and send us the unit that was transfused along with extra tubes of blood for the necessary investigation. When we received the unit back it looked like a piece of liver… Continue reading Warmed Blood Unit

I have to draw blood from an 8 year old kid who was obviously very scared of needles. Both his mom and dad have to hold him down because he is determined to not get poked. He was thrashing around until dad finally had a nice grip on his arm. “Here’s my chance!” I said… Continue reading Kick to the Groin