When it comes to providing a positive experience for patients with difficult veins, experience and skills are just as important as communication and empathy. And this is clear to us at Unilabs. Click To Tweet
Blood collection is one of the most common medical procedures performed in the healthcare setting, since laboratory testing is often the first step to diagnosis and influences most medical decisions. In fact, did you know that at Unilabs, we perform more than 200 million laboratory tests a year?
This is why healthcare professionals who collect blood samples have mastered the technique, as it is apart their daily routine. However, it is not uncommon to see the so-called patients with ‘difficult veins’.
Healthcare professionals’ experience
Visual inspection and palpation to find a suitable vein to collect blood are usually considered a fast and simple procedure. However, some patients have veins that easily collapse, are too fragile or small, or are difficult to find.
In fact, approximately 10% of the population have a needle phobia, which can provoke a vasovagal response, leading to a drop in blood pressure and fainting.
Before testing, there are factors to consider that may complicate the procedure:
- Loss of vein elasticity linked to autoimmune illnesses or ageing in old patients.
- Small diameter of veins in children.
- Suboptimal visualisation and palpation linked to oedema, altered subcutaneous fat distribution, skin pigmentation, or tattoos.
- History of chemotherapy or repeated puncture of veins that cause intimal damage.
- Deep vein location.
- Thickening of the skin because of burns and scarring from injuries related to certain conditions, such as scleroderma.
In all these situations, it becomes necessary to spend more time and have patience, as tension and frustration are likely to be felt by both the professional and the patient.
There are many specific techniques and strategies for dealing with the most complicated venipunctures, but there is one practice that is essential: communication.
Why is communication with patients important?
Good communication between practitioners and patients is vital during blood sampling, even more so for patients with ‘difficult veins’. These patients may have had bad and painful experiences in the past, so they may feel reluctant to cooperate and need an extra dose of empathy and patience.
Describing every step to be followed, asking patients about their fears and concerns, acting confidently and calmly and trying to find what makes them feel comfortable may help reduce patients’ stress and anxiety.
Patients’ collaboration can also be sought by tenderly asking them about previous problems experienced during blood collection, as well as the successful solutions that were implemented to overcome them—for example, if some specific body areas were easier to access than others.
By talking with them, it is possible to identify in advance if they have difficult veins and thus plan the best approximation and prepare the necessary material to ease the process.
A predefined and thoughtful strategy will always be helpful to even the most experienced and skilled phlebotomist, reduce patient distress and shorten the time to complete the collection, contributing to a more positive experience and greater satisfaction.
At Unilabs, customers and the people who depend on us to make effective treatment decisions are at the heart of what we do. Our ultimate goal is not simply to take and process samples, but to find answers that help improve people’s lives.
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