Junior Doctor Anecdotes: That Time I Sang With A Patient

During my last week in Ophthalmology, I was tasked with taking bloods from a very nervous elderly patient. She was absolutely terrified of needles, and visibly shaking when I approached her with my venepuncture equipment.

After trying unsuccessfully to reassure her that it’d be okay, I asked how she’d gotten through the last time she had bloods taken, and she told me that she sang her favourite song in her head to distract herself.

So I asked her to try that this time, and encouraged her to sing out loud if that helped. She said she would only sing if I joined her, and that was how the both of us ended up singing Danny Boy together.

She got so into the song that she didn’t believe I’d taken the bloods until I showed her the full bottles. SO PURE.