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Are scratches always sharp?

I have just come back from the local doctor’s surgery where the practice nurse gave me my annual basic health check – blood pressure, blood sample, urine test, weight, questions about lifestyle, etc.

When it came to taking the blood sample I interrupted her by saying “You’re about to say ‘sharp scratch’ next, aren’t you?”

Of course she was – they always do! She asked if I would prefer her to say “stab in the arm coming up”, so that is what she did!

As she confirmed, this “sharp scratch” term is what all NHS nurses are taught to say when they are training, and I have only ever known one who didn’t.

But what could a scratch be if it is not sharp? Can you have a dull scratch?

  • Question of

    Is this your experience too?

    • Yes
    • No
  • Question of

    Can you think of something else that a nurse might say? If so, please feel free to make a suggestion!

    • Yes
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What do you think?

11 Points

Written by Indexer

8 Comments

  1. I think ‘Just a prick and its all over’ will calm the patient. Having said that these days it is so mild that I have not felt it when they did it on me – just a month of so ago

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