Original content provided by Greiner Bio-One.
Patients suffering from needle phobia are not uncommon with an estimated 10% of the population suffering. It will neither be possible nor is it the aim to “cure” all patients of this phobia, but with the right product choice, a healthcare professional can make the experience as pleasant as possible. Whether your patient is a young child accompanied by a concerned or stressed parent, an adult who is uncomfortable around medical tools and equipment, or an elderly patient suffering from dementia with little understanding of what's happening, the variation in patients means that its vital to make the right product choice that fits best for the patient, their vein condition and the situation.
Preparing the Patient
An important initial step before preparing the patient when it comes to safe blood collection is the thorough evaluation of the vein conditions so that you can appropriately select the best product for successful venepuncture and subsequent good blood flow for a quality blood sample.From feeling and visually observing the vein, the information should be sufficient to make an informed choice about how to proceed, i.e., what needle gauge is appropriate, is a blood collection needle viable or should other options such as a winged safety blood collection set be considered?
Understanding Your Patient
As young children tend to have thinner, more fragile veins, if the needle diameter is too big, it could cause damage to the veins and may be painful. A child in pain is distressing to the parent or caregiver, which can quickly lead to an unnecessarily escalated situation. In many cases, you may need to take a capillary sample, even if just a small volume for clinical chemistry, haematology or glucose testing.
At the other end of age scale, there are elderly patients, who may have thin, papery skin, with a tendency to bruise, as well as fragile, rolling veins. The situation can then be exacerbated by any number of influencing factors, such as patients suffering from dementia, making the dialogue between healthcare worker and patient a potential challenge, since the patient may not understand what is happening.
Since it could be difficult to remain calm and keep the patient compliant with the procedure, the products chosen should ensure that your actions are smooth and do not cause any alarm while at the same time ensuring safety for all concerned.
In our final example, we have adults who may be physically fit and cognitively healthy, but suffer from severe anxiety when it comes to blood collection. The aim in this scenario should always be to make a puncture that is as efficient and pain-free as possible - so choosing the most appropriate product helps.
If veins are close to the surface, a winged needle such as a Greiner Bio One's Safety Blood Collection Set could be the best choice, whereas in other cases using the smallest gauge size possible depending on vein diameter assessment with a product like the Vacuette® Quickshield Safety Tube Holder will be better.