Blood Collection

If your child requires child life support, book your appointment by phone.

Appointment Booking Line: 902 470 1764

Care teams use a variety of strategies including sucrose, numbing cream, comfort positions and distraction to reduce the pain children feel during needle procedures.

What you can do to help

Blood Lab Comfort Promise Tool Kit

The IWK Blood Collection Lab provides outpatient blood collection services for children and women. Other patients should select outpatient blood collection services through a Nova Scotia Health location.

Book an appointment online or call the appointment booking line at 902 497 1764.

If your child needs help coping, use the appointment booking line so that you can request child life support. 

If you require urgent bloodwork and an appointment is not available through the online booking system, please call the appointment booking line at 902 470 1764.

General Inquiries & Health Care Professionals
902-470-8015

Registration for blood collection is on the first floor at the South Street entrance near the model train station.

• take a number, you will be called for registration by this number
• use your QR code to check in at the kiosk
• your number will be called and you will register at the registration desk
• after registration, your number will be called again and you will proceed to the blood collection room

What to Bring

• The appointment confirmation number for your blood collection appointment.
  • Confirmation numbers are sent via email when appointments are booked
  • If an appointment is booked by a clinic, the clinic must forward the confirmation number to the patient or use a patient email address when booking.
• The requisition from your health care provider
  • Be sure the patient information is correct including legal name, date of birth, and health card number
  • Be sure that it is signed and dated by the provider or designate (electronic signatures are acceptable.
  • Check to see if there are any fasting tests. Your health care provider may specify the duration of fasting on the requisition. If not specified it should be 10-12 hours with no food or drink except water and medications. Please plan the visit accordingly.
• A comfort item or something for your child to play with in the waiting room and/or use for distraction during blood work.
• Please use the QR code when checking in at the kiosk for registration

Additional Tips

As parents and caregivers, there are ways you can provide comfort before, during, and after needle procedures.

Before

Preparing children and youth for blood work can reduce their worries about it. What works best depends on age and temperament.

Be honest and explain what will happen using words they will understand.

Giving choices can be helpful You can use this plan to discuss some choices. You can bring it with you to your appointment.

These pictures follow the sequence of a typical visit to the blood collection lab. You can look at the pictures and decide how much to share- you know your child best. When talking to your child, be honest. 

During

Ask your care provider about sucrose, numbing cream, and Buzzy for pain control. 

Distracting your child during the procedure can help. The best way to distract a child during a needle procedure depends on their age and interests.

Parental/caregiver anxiety can lead to a child having a more distressing health care experience. Be a calm, supportive role model for your child. Be aware of your body language and tone of voice. If you remain calm, your child will have a better experience.

After

Your child's pain is influenced by the way we speak about it. By highlighting what went well, you can create more positive memories of the experience. This can help make their next visit go well. Remind your child of the good things that happened to strengthen their positive memories.

Have the ending be a positive experience for the child.

Example: Give your child a small treat (like a sticker) after the appointment.