title: Does infrared visualization improve selection of venipuncture sites for indwelling needle at the forearm in second-year nursing students?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of a vein visualization display system using near-infrared light ("Vein Display") for the safe and proper selection of venipuncture sites for indwelling needle placement in the forearm.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten second year nursing students were recruited to apply an indwelling needle line with and without Vein Display. Another ten participants were recruited from various faculty to serve as patients. The quality of the venipuncture procedure at various selected sites was evaluated according to a scale developed by the authors. Time, scores and patterns of puncture-site selection were compared with respect to three different methods: [1] attempt 1 (tourniquet only), [2] attempt 2 (Vein Display only) and [3] attempt 3 (both). To validate the effectiveness of Vein Display, 52 trials were conducted in total.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that venipuncture site selection time was significantly improved with the Vein Display, particularly in the case of difficult to administer venipuncture sites. Overall, we found no significant difference with respect to venipuncture quality, as determined by our scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that equipment such as the Vein Display can contribute immensely to the improvement of practical skills, such as venipuncture, especially in the context of elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Mie University, Japan. Electronic address: fukuroku@nurse.medic.mie-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuroku
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Mie University, Japan.
authors.forename: Yugo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Narita
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Mie University, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taneda
authors.affiliation: Business Solutions Company, Sharp Corporation, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medicine, Center for Medical & Nursing Education, Mie University, Japan.
authors.forename: Alberto A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gayle
mesh_terms: D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D018962:Phlebotomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000379:methods*; D013338:Students, Nursing; D014680:Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
keywords: Forearm; Indwelling needle line administration; Infrared visualization; Nursing students; Venipuncture site