The Infusion Nurses Society set standards regarding vascular access preparation and device placement. Standards state “no more than 2 attempts at vascular access placement should be made by any 1 nurse.”6Multiple stick attempts can cause pain and anxiety for the patient, caregiver and clinician. They can also be costly.
Use the simple calculator below to see the potential cost savings when using VeinViewer technology. Input your facility’s numbers.
Often patients who require multiple sticks are considered DVA (or Difficult Venous Access). Factors that contribute to DVA include: age, obesity, dark or scarred skin, dehydration and disease state.7
In some cases when peripheral IV access cannot be obtained–because of DVA or other reasons–a more invasive and more costly peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is placed.
18% of PICC placements are considered medically unnecessary. How many are placed in your facility each month?
1 LaRue GD. Efficacy of Ultrasonography in Peripheral Venous Cannulation. Journal of Infusion Nursing 2000; 23: 29-34.
2 Hess, H. A Biomedical Device to Improve Pediatric Vascular Access Success. Pediatric Nursing 2010; 36, 5: 259-263.
3 Santolucito JB. A retrospective evaluation of the timeliness of physician-initiated PICC referrals. Journal of Vascular Access Devices. 2001; 6 (3): 20-26.
4 Walsh G. Difficult Peripheral Venous Access: Recognizing and Managing the Patient at Risk. JAVA. 2008; Vol. 13:4 198-203.
5 Estimate based on PIV improvement results.
6 Infusion Nursing Standards of Practice. Journal of Infusion Nursing, 34, S44.
7 Difficult Venous Access in Children: Taking Control. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 35, 419.
