I had an absolutely heartbreaking experience at the Northwell Lab in Syosset. My baby was only 4 days old, and our doctor’s note clearly said to take the blood from a heel stick to check the jaundice level. But the staff at this lab completely ignored that instruction — instead, they decided to draw blood from my baby’s arms.
They stuck both arms, and still did not get enough blood. The second time was even worse — they inserted the needle sideways, and I watched as three people held down my tiny newborn while a long needle moved around inside her arm. It was horrifying and absolutely unprofessional. My heart broke seeing my baby in so much pain.
After all that, they still didn’t collect enough blood and had the nerve to ask if I wanted to “try again.” Unbelievable. The next day, I went to the Northwell Lab in Great Neck, and the technician there did exactly what the doctor recommended — a simple heel stick. It was quick, gentle, and they got enough blood on the first try.
If your newborn needs blood drawn for jaundice testing, do NOT go to the Syosset lab. The staff there are inexperienced, careless, and do not follow doctor’s notes. I’ve never seen such poor training and lack of compassion, especially for newborn care.