title: Evaluating venous pool technique for blood sampling in neonatal ICU.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate venous pool technique (VPT) for obtaining neonatal blood samples as compared with the needlestick technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  An experimental design was used with subjects enrolled in two phases: an equivalence phase (N = 10) and a comparison phase (N = 64). In the equivalence phase, subjects weighing 1,500 g or more had two needlesticks. In the comparison phase, subjects weighing 800 g or more were randomized to receive blood drawn by either needlestick method or VPT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparative results suggest that infant and maternal demographic factors, sampling attempts, and sampling failures were similar. However, for the outcome of hematoma development, the standard technique was significantly worse (t = 2.25 ; p = .029). Results suggest that the VPT method is safe and accurate for use in critically ill neonates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that the VPT process is easily learned and may provide advantages over standard blood sampling methods. Nurses can use this information to evaluate this VPT technique in their institutions.
authors.affiliation: Carol Hatler is the Director of Nursing Research at St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ. She can be reached via e-mail at Carol.hatler@dignityhealth.org. Beverly Dalton is the Director, Transformational Care, Chandler Regional Medical Center, Chandler, AZ. Susan Day is the Clinical Educator, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ. Andrea Sharfner is the Manager, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ. Rhonda Hauffe is the Staff Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hatler
authors.forename: Beverly
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dalton
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharfner
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hauffe
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D018962:Phlebotomy / Q000379:methods*