Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are put in place to ensure that what you do – you do right – every time. SOPs for venipuncture, whether for blood draw, blood collection or IV start all have one critical thing in common: assuring patient safety. Millions of patients are affected by nosocomial infections. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have identified catheter-related infections as a “never event.” A preventable infection impacts the patient, the practitioner, the facility and the bottom line.
Are you doing everything you can to prevent infection?
Virtually all SOP’s require that once the puncture site has been cleaned the clinician must not touch the site – even with a gloved hand. The purpose of this standard is to prevent the clinician from contaminating the site and potentially causing an infection. However, it also prevents the clinician from manually re-verifying the position of the vein.
Today’s Venipuncture Standard Operating Procedure
According to the textbook Phlebotomy Essentials, (McCall and Tankersley, Fourth Edition, 2008, p280):
“To prevent contamination of the site… Do not touch the site after cleaning it.”
If you look at your facility’s SOP, you should find similar language. Once the site is clean, you cannot re-verify the vein location without direct palpation.
AccuVein Vein Finder Displays Vein’s Location Without Re-palpation
The AccuVein is a breakthrough device that can aid healthcare professionals in finding a vein for venipuncture. Simply hold the AccuVein seven to twelve inches above the skin, and the vasculature is displayed right on the surface of the skin. Easy to use, these vein finders can assist in locating the vein so that you can insert the needle exactly where you mean to.
The AccuVein’s real time projection of vein position combined with the hands free solution enables the clinician to keep their eye on the vein without the risk of contamination that can occur with improper re-palpation of the site.
Does The AccuVein Fit Your Standard Operating Procedure?
Typical language in an SOP currently calls for cleansing the site with alcohol or chlorhexidine after the site is selected. Typically there is a caution:
Caution: To prevent contamination and infection, do not re-palpate or touch the skin after cleansing, even with gloved hands.
This means that the clinician must rely on memory to place the needle. With the AccuVein vein finder, the SOP can now include verification of the site.
Why Choose the AccuVein?
The AccuVein is the only non-contact hand-held/hands-free device available. At 10 ounces, this lightweight device excels at quickly locating vein target sites and then quickly snaps into a hands-free arm allowing the clinician’s hands to be free to perform the procedure while illuminating the site during the procedure.
