The AccuVein Learning Center is your go-to place for information on Vein Illumination, Venipuncture and training for the AccuVein product line. The Learning Center provides the latest news, video training and documentation downloads.
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"Perfect Your IV Starts" Article Suggests Vein Viewing TechnologyThe June issue of Outpatient Surgery Magazine includes the article "Perfect Your IV Starts". Under "#3 Inspect for Your Best Target", the article suggests, "Vein-viewing technology can make your job easier. Using infrared light, these portable devices project a real-time digital image of the vein pattern right on the patient's skin." You can access this... -
What does your facility do when equipment goes down?Many facilities do a combination of three things when equipment goes down at their facility. 1. Fix in house at biomedical 2. Send to a third party for repair 3. Send to manufacturer for repair "Many view sending equipment to the original manufacturer for repair as something of a last resort." At AccuVein we've made the choice easy.... -
Complications of IV TherapySome of the complications of IV therapy include: Hematoma Hypersensitivity Infiltration Extravasation Phlebitis Infection These complications can range from very minor issues to serious injury so it is important to keep an eye on the patient after beginning the administration of IV therapy. Catching the issue early can lessen the risk of serious harm. We have been told by clinicians that... -
Are PICC Lines as Dangerous as CVCs?A recent study has shown that Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters have the same risks of infection as Central Venous Catheters, click the link below to read the entire study. It was thought prior that CVCs had a higher rate of infection than PICC so this is interesting news. To lower the risk of Catheter... -
Avoiding Veins With AccuVeinClinicians have told us that there are many procedures where avoiding a vein is an important goal. By avoiding veins, bleeding and bruising can be prevented during procedures. We received an email from a surgeon in France who has posted a video of his use of AccuVein to avoid veins in abdominal surgery. Please note... -
Pediatric Nursing and the Stress of VenipunctureNurses are known for being able to stay calm under pressure; but being a pediatric nurse requires additional patience. In addition to meeting the physical needs of their patients, pediatric nurses must also educate parents while keeping even the youngest of patients calm during sometimes-painful procedures. Venipuncture can be very distressing for children, and... -
Hospital Reminder Posters Are Here!We've created two 8 1/2 x 11 posters to hang in the hospital to remind clinicians to look for their AccuVein device and to let them know where exactly to find it. The first poster, "Don't Forget to Reach for AccuVein Vein Illumination" and was designed to be hung in a nurses break room or... -
Apply Dry Or Wet Heat To Increase Palpability?When you have a patient whose veins are not particularly palpable, sometimes it is a good idea to apply heat to the area which will increase blood flow and make the veins juicier. So would you typically reach for a warm wet rag or a dry heat source? There is a study that shows "dry... -
Re-siting PIVs - based on time or indications?Many facilities have policies requiring clinicians to remove and re-site a Peripheral IV within a given period of time. As a clinician, have you ever wondered if this is actually helps the patient avoid complications? The CDC's Guidelines for the Prevention of Intravascular Catheter related Infections indicates that: 1. There is no need to replace peripheral... -
Is it less painful to look away during venipuncture ?Almost three quarters of patients spontaneously look away during venipuncture. Does this help to minimize the pain? It turns out that pain ratings of these patients are almost twice that of the quarter of patients who look. It is unclear why this may be, but previous experimental studies indicate that observing the body when a... -
Challenges Facing Hospital ExecutivesWhen you are talking with hospital executives you've got only a few minutes and you want to hit the key points as quickly as you can. The hard-hitting slides from Scott's presentation are a perfect platform for discussion. You can access Scott's presentation, Challenges Facing Hospital Executives, -
Alabama Fire Department Equips their Ambulances with Vein IlluminationHoover Alabama's Fire Department has implemented vein illumination as a standard of care because they want to be on the cutting edge of EMS. "The department bought a dozen vein finders and will put one on each of the front-line engine companies and on each of the Fire Department's three rescue units, Hambright said." Read the... -
Infusion Nurse Blog Article on Vein Illumination DevicesAn article about vein illumination devices was posted in April 2012 to the Infusion Nurse Blog. The article explains that the devices,"can make the venipuncture experience much more tolerable, improves patient satisfaction and eliminates sticking patients veins blindly." The Infusion Nurse Blog is written by Cora Vizcarra. Cora is a certified registered nurse in infusion... -
Possible Side Effects Cosmetic Injectables“Face lifts” have become common cosmetic surgery procedures for patients who want to minimize the appearance of aging. Most cosmetic surgery procedures are safe and effective, however, there have been reports of paralysis of facial muscles and other problems due to complications from injectables, such as Botox. What Is Botox Migration? A rare but potentially serious... -
Rare Bacteria Outbreak at Outpatient Oncology FacilityInfection control today reported that a recent outbreak of a rare bacteria was tied to a lapse in infection control procedures. There was an outbreak of Tsukamurella blood stream infections, which is caused by Gram-positive bacteria and rarely effects humans. The outbreak was linked to the improper handling of saline at a West Virginia... -
Doctor Uses AccuVein for Help With Vascular SurgeryAn advocate of AccuVein in Brazil, Dr. Rodrigo Kikuchi, is a reknown vascular surgeon. Here's a short video that Dr. Kikuchi took showing a AccuVein being used in a foam sclerotherapy procedure to identify the vein and show the foam being injected into the vein. -
Use of Blood Pressure Cuff in Place of a TourniquetWe've heard that BP cuffs are occasionally used in lieu of a tourniquet a when starting an IV. Inflating and releasing to about 30-40mm Hg tends to provide sufficient distention without increased discomfort to the patient. When using a blood pressure cuff instead of a tourniquet, care must be exercised not to start the... -
Vein Valves and BifurcationsWhen looking at a map of a patient's vasculature with the AccuVein AV400 vein finder you'll be able to locate valves and bifurcations. The knowledge of valve and bifurcation location allows you avoid these areas, facilitating smoother venous access. It is important to understand why this is such a great value add for the... -
Using AccuVein Near MRIThe AccuVein vein illumination device uses two moving mirrors to create its projection. These mirrors take the single laser spot and make the projection rectangle you’re familiar with. The laser is only pointing at one spot at any given time, but since it moves so fast, your eye sees it as a rectangle. Since... -
Australian Red Cross Looks at Vein Visualization for Blood DrawThe Australian Red Cross has done a study on the use of vein visualization for blood draw. AccuVein was among the devices they examined in the study. The key results of the study were as follows: 53.4% return donors receiving vein visualization technology report that they would be more likely to donate blood if this... -
CMS "Never Events"The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has ongoing initiatives to control costs and improve patient care. The term "Never Event" was first introduced in 2001 by the National Quality Forum (NQF), in reference to particularly shocking medical errors (such as wrong-site surgery) that should never occur. Over time, the list has been expanded... -
Should Infusion Teams be part of Acute Care Hospitals?Infusion therapy is invasive and touches virtually all patients entering the hospital. Given its importance, the current rates of infusion therapy complications, as well as the costs and the waste associated with it, a thorough assessment should be made of a facility’s’ outcomes related to infusion services. This is the opinion expressed in an... -
Avoiding Nerves During VenipunctureIt is important to avoid nerves while performing venipuncture. Knowing where they are located and how they differ from the vasculature can assist a clinician in identifying and avoiding nerves while performing venipuncture. Two nerves that are located in common areas for venipuncture are the radial and median nerves. "The radial nerve passes along... -
Inserting IVs In The ElderlyElderly patients can be even more difficult to cannulate and are more likely to bruise than younger patients. Aging causes reduced circulation and deterioration of the vein walls. These tips are suggested to increase effectiveness of cannulation attempts and reduce the possibility of bruising. Be gentle Use the smallest catheter possible Go in shallow Anchor the vein to stabilize... -
Made In The U.S.A.We made the decision early on to build AccuVein in the U.S.A. This allowed us maximum control over product features, delivery and quality. Our Minnesota manufacturing facility is close enough both geographically and culturally to be flexible to our needs and the needs of our customers. And most importantly it allows us to run every... -
Tips for Avoiding CLABSIsReducing the the number of unnecessary central lines done at your facility is the first step in avoiding central line associated bloodstream infections or CLABSIs. This can be done by improving IV insertion techniques through training and enforcement or standard operating procedures. Vein illumination has also been proven to reduce IV access escalations by 45%... -
Vein Visualization Recommended to Improve Safety PracticesRecently the Infusion Nurses Society convened a task force of infusion therapy experts to develop recommendations to improve health care practitioner and patient safety. The findings of this task force includes their recommendation to, "Incorporate vein visualization technology as a routine strategy for patients with poor or difficult venous access." They go on to state... -
Press Ganey Survey Included IV StartsWe know that patient satisfaction is impacted by the overall patient experience including venipuncture. The number of sticks or amount of pain experienced during this procedure has an effect on patient's scores. -
Considerations When Selecting an IV NeedleOne of the of the important considerations when starting an IV is the needle size. IV needles are sized by gauges, and the smaller the gauge number, the bigger the needle. "The goal when selecting the proper gauge of an peripheral IV catheter is to ensure that the best device meets the patient’s needs. This means taking into consideration... -
Patient FeedbackMany people are difficult sticks. Being in the healthcare business, we have all come across at least one friend, family member, or patient who has told us the story of their difficulty with venipuncture procedures and the pain of the bruises left behind. As healthcare professionals I can imagine the stress added when a...
