I can't honestly
say that I succeed
on the first try every
time, but I'm close. I
can do 10 sticks a
day for a month
without missing.
(And on the rare
occasions that I
miss, it really ticks
me off.) Fortunately,
there's nothing like
that consistent suc-
cess to help you get
over the fear — and instill confidence in patients. Here are some of
the secrets to my first-stick success rate.
Have a good one
Some say pick a vein quickly and just go for it. I disagree. Once,
early in my career, I was having trouble with a vein. When a doctor
walked in, he said, "I wouldn't have even tried that one." Lesson
learned. Don't be hasty. Always take the time to find a good vein
before you attempt the stick. Put a tourniquet on the arm and feel and
look. See if you can make the vein stick up. Sometimes wiping with
the cleaning solution will help you see the ridge of the vein. You also
want to make sure the vein travels in a straight line that's at least as
long as your cannula, because veins can twist like the letter S. If you
don't, you may find that the cannula won't advance because the vein
turns a sharp corner right after the insertion site.
5 8
O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5
z EASY ACCESS Lightly flicking, as an alter-
native to slapping, helps bring veins to the
surface, open the lumen and numb the area.
Holly
Wright,
RN,
BSN
