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V A S C U L A R
A C C E S S
chemotherapy patients, for example). You just point the device at the skin and
click to display the superficial veins closest to the skin's surface. Many vein
finders come in both handheld and hands-free models.
"For less experienced nurses, they're pretty handy," says Mr. Lippert.
"Newer nurses not as confident in their IV start abilities will find a lot of comfort in having these devices to help them find a vein."
Vein locators shine a high-intensity light through the patient's skin, which helps
create a more visual contrast between the veins and the surrounding tissue.
Not all facilities use a dedicated vein finder. Ms. Berreth uses the ultrasound device her facility uses for regional block anesthesia for difficult IV
starts. Ms. Sena uses Doppler to auscultate venous flow. "While vein lights
