ENGL 2710-042 STONE
It’s a “Phleb’s” World
Portrait of a Folk Group
Tara C Shunk
Spring 2013
TShunk1
It’s a “Phleb’s” World
Phlebotomists are technicians trained to draw blood from veins, and to specifically focus
on that one important task. As in the healthcare field, when medical intervention is necessary,
intravenous drugs and blood level checkups are the backbone and delivery of modern
healthcare to us all. According to The Study of American Folklore, a folk group can be
“identified simply in terms of obvious social, political, or geographic factors…first by their
distinctive folk speech and other traditions – the lingo and customs that set one group apart
from others” (Bruvand 50-51) As a phlebotomist myself, there are clearly defined areas of
phlebotomy that do, indeed, refer to it as a folk group.
“Folk groups form out of proximity, necessity, obligation or circumstance; regular
interaction and shared interests or skills.”(Sims) Phlebotomy is a very unique professional
direction. As many in our population today may get faint or feel uneasy at the sight of blood,
phlebotomists as a group are those that do not have issues with blood. Upon the
understanding that another person is also a phlebotomist, there is an instant connection
between us as we are both aware of the careers requirements, the pros and cons of the
position and the healthcare industry as a whole. As an example, many stigmas exist in the
healthcare field, and one of them is that doctors can be very egotistical and use their power
against those seen as “lower on the totem pole”. According to Living Folklore, “Group identity
depends not only on shared communication within the group but also on interaction with other
groups.”(Sims) As a phlebotomist group, we offer support and are aware of the issues from
TShunk2
“higher up” and the other countless issues the professional faces daily. We can offer these
forms of support because we can all empathize with the events and provide sense of pride to
be a “phleb”; one of the ways that it makes this a folk group. On a larger scale throughout the
country, I can relate to every single one of them because of our connected, common thread;
that we are technicians that collect samples throughout a healthcare organization.
Along with understanding the pros and cons of the profession also comes an immediate
sense of competition among members. Because phlebotomy is sometimes a life-long endeavor
for some, and some are relatively new to the field, there are some that are absolute experts at
drawing those patients that have difficult veins, and some that have a very hard time constantly
just trying to collect blood from a very typical case of veins. Depending on the experience is
where some competition lies. Those that have similar experience in the field seem to have
more competitive nature against those of their same level of expertise. Along with experience
level also comes the actual process of drawing and what tools were used to get a successful
draw. There are several different needles that can be used to draw blood from a vein. Usually,
within the culture, a phlebotomist that obtains specimens from a person that had a previous
drug problem and therefore has mostly scarred, difficult veins, for example, with a largestraight needle is seen to be a “top dog”, very experienced and brave in the area. At the same
time, one that uses the smallest “butterfly” needle (a needle attached to tubing that allows for
less chance of failure), for example, could be seen as inexperienced and afraid. Also using
TShunk3
multiple “sticks” to obtain a single specimen for evaluation is seen as a “weakness” among
those in the industry. As mentioned above, those that can obtain blood, or place an IV in a
single “stick” with a large straight needle are seen as experienced as well. Either way, the blood
has been collected, yet the relationships one to another have been altered slightly, even
subconsciously in many events. A “rite of passage” for a phlebotomist comes when they are
able acquire a specimen from a difficult draw on their own, without a more senior phlebotomist
present. As in Living Folklore, “’dynamics’ within a group … hold it together through shared
traditions that move and evolve with the group as the group itself changes.”(Sims). As these
relationships change, so does the group itself as new members are initiated into it.
Abbreviation in healthcare is very common and in emergency situations, members of
the differing fields that may be attempting to save a life will communicate with abbreviations
and nicknames. Every one of the staff can interpret what is being said and it allows for great
informative material to help aid in saving lives. This is also true with phlebotomists, as a
subgroup to the larger healthcare field groups. Among phlebotomists there is a certain lingo.
For example the reference to inserting a needle into one’s vein is often referred to among
technicians as a “stick”, a “vp” or rarely a “poke” (usually given as reference for the patient). (I
am) Also at times it is necessary to note the location of the vein that was drained to give the
specimen for a better read on the results from the testing. Phlebotomists use medical
terminology often to aid in this. For example, obtaining blood from the inside of your elbow,
which is a typical place to obtain blood, would be noted as “RAC” or “LAC”. These both
referring to either your right arm, in the anti-cubital space (inside of the elbow), or the same on
TShunk4
the left arm. Also, determining a certain area of a hospital to be termed a nickname instead of
its true name is a very common practice among those employed within healthcare systems. For
example, referring to my own hospital that I am currently employed, the healthcare floor
named “the psychiatric specialties and Day Spring Clinics” is referred to on staff throughout the
phlebotomists as “North Building”. These, among countless others, are evidence of the unique
structure of the folk group (Shunk).
To work in the healthcare field, and be able to work directly on a patient’s health, one
must obtain schooling for almost any field in healthcare. In Utah, we are fortunate enough to
have world-class healthcare instruction at several different places of education. Being in such
close proximity to one another, popular medical instruction programs in almost all schools in
Utah, and in the country, have reported numerous hardships with have so many eager
students. This is true in phlebotomy as well. If you have spoken with a doctor, chances are that
he/she worked in some form of healthcare in some kind of capacity during medical school.
Many report working as phlebotomists (Shunk). Phlebotomy, although many spend an entire
career in it, tends to attract those that wish to use it as a “stepping stool” to elaborate their
interests in healthcare and gain real-world healthcare experience while in school. Because of
the very popular trend, phlebotomists ranging from just out of high school and into their more
golden years all relate to one another with working a job and going to school to better their life.
Within my department, out of fifteen phlebotomists, seven are students as well. We can relate
to one another in the time and responsibility of developing both, and even to help and support
TShunk5
one another through courses that make prove difficult that have already been taken. As
reported earlier, different fields seem to be more popular. With phlebotomy in particular,
nursing seems to be the ultimate choice among those participating in higher education.
Because of the popularity of the nursing field, it can be difficult to gain acceptance into a
nursing program within the state of Utah, which can be extremely frustrating (Shunk).
However, because there are so many within this folk group that are attempting to obtain
similar careers, they can all understand the frustrations and while speaking about the
difficulties, can relate to one another in their own jargon about the different requirements.
Many different forums, instructional blogs and Facebook groups are dedicated to the support
and help within those that continue to struggle with education in the healthcare field(I am).
This gives great depth to culture of phlebotomy lore.
Along with the above discussed specifics, there are also areas of phlebotomy that are
fueled by popular belief among phlebotomists, but may or may not be accurate scientifically.
For example, in many instances depending on where the phlebotomist may work, they may
instruct the patient, after a tourniquet is applied to the arm, to pump their fist. This can
actually have negative effects on some of the veins in the arm, and in any case does not actually
help raise the veins for easier viewing, contrary to the use of this lesson. In some areas,
phlebotomists’ techniques can differ as well, such as even biting off the end of the glove that
covers a finger that may be more sensitive for feeling the presence of a vein or not(this is
against the laws that govern healthcare, but is still seen in some areas of healthcare
Shunk6
nationwide).These ,among many others ,can actually differ from group to group of
phlebotomists (Shunk).
Phlebotomy, although a small section of the healthcare industry, and by extension our
population, has its own customs, jargon and traditions, those that have been discussed and
many others that have not. Because of these facts, phlebotomy, by definition, is considered a
folk group, a smaller group of healthcare individuals that have their own processes and culture.
Through the support, competitive nature, and the unique processes of phlebotomy, it continues
to shape into a more and more interesting group of individuals.
TShunk7
Works Cited
"I am a Phlebotomist." 2012. N.p., Online Posting to Experience project. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.experienceproject.com/groups/Am-A-Phlebotomist/152218>.
Sims, Martha. Living Folklore. 2nd. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press, 2011. 326. Print
Bruvand, Jan. The Study of American Folklore: An Introduction. 4th. New York: Norton
Publishing, 1998. Print.
Shunk, Tara. Personal Interview. Mar 2013.