Easier Venipunctures
Illuminated veins give health care providers the locations of the best veins for venipuncture.
If you've ever felt like a pincushion while giving blood or getting an IV started, technology now being used at the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center will be a welcome relief.
The vein illumination system is designed to help healthcare professionals locate the best vein for venipuncture and demonstrates the hospital’s commitment to improving patients’ experiences.
Simply pointing the lightweight, portable device at the skin and clicking to display the peripheral veins beneath the skin is improving the “first stick” success and reducing patients’ pain and anxiety.
Venipuncture is the most common invasive medical procedure worldwide with an estimated 2.7 million procedures conducted every day in the United States alone. Studies reveal that up to one third of attempts to access a vein fail the first time, creating unnecessary patient pain and stress.
Even the most experienced healthcare professionals can have difficulty accessing veins safely and quickly the first time. Before vein illumination, patients who are dehydrated, obese, have low body temperature, or whose veins roll often experienced multiple unsuccessful punctures.
The Infusion Nurses Society now recommends the use of vein visualization technology in their Standards of Practice. The INS Standards state, “Vascular visualization technology is employed to increase the success with peripheral cannulation and decrease the need for central vascular access device.”
The health care professionals of the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center welcome the new technology which is making their jobs a little easier and making their patients a little more comfortable.
