Bridging medical and behavioral health
Poke Pals™ is a trauma-informed pediatric blood draw preparation program built by a phlebotomist who is also a behavioral health specialist — because the two have always belonged together.
A comfort-first, evidence-informed approach to pediatric blood collection that combines clinical accuracy with nervous-system–aware preparation — supporting children, families, and care teams.
Poke Pals supports caregivers, clinical teams, and industry partners in improving pediatric blood collection experiences through preparation, education, and adoption-ready practices.
Blood draws are often the most fear-provoking part of pediatric care — especially for anxious and neurodivergent children. When distress escalates, procedures fail, schedules break down, and children leave with lasting medical anxiety that follows them for years.
Poke Pals addresses the gap between clinical skill and patient readiness. A comfort-first, evidence-informed approach that helps care teams, families, and mobile providers prepare children for blood collection — reducing escalation and protecting first-attempt success without slowing care.
I'm Franchesca Kelly — a pediatric phlebotomist (PBT, ASCP) and Registered Behavior Technician with nine years of frontline clinical experience at the intersection of blood collection and behavioral science. My work is grounded in published research and real clinical practice.
Grounded in published work and real clinical practice.
Published Work & Thought Leadership
Selected articles on pediatric phlebotomy, medical anxiety, and trauma-informed outpatient care.
FOR FAMILIES
For families & caregivers
Is your child anxious about blood draws or medical visits? Virtual parent coaching helps children approach procedures with less fear and more predictability.
- One-on-one support
- Customized preparation plans
- Neurodiversity-affirming strategies
- Accessible anywhere via video
FOR ORGANIZATIONS
For clinical teams & organizations
Are anxious pediatric patients escalating or refusing procedures? Poke Pals trains clinical teams to prevent escalation before it starts.
- Team workshops
- Case consultation
- Implementation support
- Virtual or in-person
Making medical care trauma-informed and child-centered
Storyboards
Visual preparation tools designed for children who need to know what's coming before they can feel safe. Each storyboard walks a child through a medical procedure step by step — in language and imagery that reduces surprise and builds trust.
Covering blood draws, dental visits, vaccinations, MRI/CT scans, eye exams, and more. Available in the Poke Pals Etsy shop.
Expert Pediatric Care
Partner with Poke Pals™
Your hardest pediatric draws don't have to stay hard. If you do mobile phlebotomy, you've had the call — the parent who warns you before you arrive, the child who shuts down the moment you walk in. Most mobile labs have clinical skill and good intentions. Very few have a behavioral framework for what happens before the needle goes in. That's the gap Poke Pals fills.
Phase 1 — Consulting (available now)
- Pediatric intake and preparation process review
- Protocol development for anxious and neurodivergent patients
- Staff training on nervous-system–aware technique
- Customized Poke Pals materials for your patient families
Phase 2 — Clinical support (CA CPT pending · SLO County)
- PRN availability for complex pediatric draws
- Co-branded pediatric-friendly service offering