Who has a fear of needles?

I hate needles, and I am not growing out of it. I try to avoid them as much as possible, so I know what you mean. That being said, sometimes we basically have no choice. I think subcutaneous injections are the worst because not only do you get the needle, they inject fluid under your skin and you feel that. Anticipation of the needle is actually worse than the needle itself, and the clinical setting, sitting in that venipuncture chair with your arm draped over that hard board does not help. I find it best of course not to look at the needle, and any distraction definitely helps. Maybe try playing music over headphones; the tech should understand what you are doing. And hopefully you get someone who realizes that a needle is sharp and it pierces skin easily, there is no need to stab it into someone like a harpoon. I know that last one from personal experience, in my job I have to place needles in patients veins, so I rest the needle on their skin at the proper angle and while I am talking to them I simply push on it a bit and it goes right in. Most of my patients tell me they never even felt it, other than when I laid it on their skin in the first place, and that doesn't hurt.