Published by Sean on 18 Oct 2007 at 05:15 pm
Vein Light
Check out this vein light from Luminetx. Apparently, you just slap the big square sticker on and it reveals all the veins. That would make starting IVs so much easier! But, I can’t help but wonder: if you make starting IVs easy, wouldn’t that take all the fun out of the task?
Edit: I looked at the picture without reading the description. To me it looked like a big square sticker that you apply to the skin–that somehow reveals veins. It’s actually a big machine that shines that square green light. Still cool! But now I feel the need to invent sterile, disposable stickers that you can apply to the skin, revealing the veins. Since it would be sterile you could just poke right through the sticker.
RehabRN on 18 Oct 2007 at 6:59 pm #
Sean:
Yes, the handy, dandy light is great…if you can get one. My hospital system uses them for peds and occasionally on other floors.
One IV therapy nurse wrote an editorial saying nurses were stupid if we’d have to use the light.
I’m a new nurse…I say, if technology helps me learn the right way fast, let’s do it. Why keep sticking the patient multiple times if we don’t have to do so.
Beth on 22 Oct 2007 at 4:36 am #
Ha ha. I’m one of those “stupid” nurses that would absolutely LOVE to have that use of that light! Yes, I suck at IV starting. Almost all of my patients in the ICU have central lines so I rarely am required to start and IV, hence I suck at it.
Jamie on 27 Oct 2007 at 4:08 pm #
I also think whatever it takes to get an IV. I’m an ER nurse, and we have a light system. But most of us find it’s use to be a last resort. Only on those patients we have all tried to stick three times each. That light looks easier to use than our handheld one. Ours goes months without being used.
Terry on 28 Oct 2007 at 3:11 pm #
I could definitely see a good use for that device with peds, as kids’ veins don’t POP up that often, although we all know they are there. Very interesting invention!
How expensive is it, I wonder?