(Christian Pedersen, representative from Luminetx, demonstrates the Veinviewer to a group of nurses)

For most adults, getting stuck with a needle is a necessary evil in getting a medical exam or donating blood. The thought of a needle stick can reduce even the strongest of us to jelly. You suck it up as the nurse searches for a “good vein,” and you hope he or she finds one on the first try.

Now maybe they can more often.

The Luminetx VeinViewer is revolutionary technology that allows medical professionals to clearly see the veins beneath the skin's surface, avoiding repeated needle sticks when trying to find difficult-to-see veins. This new equipment makes patients more comfortable and ultimately improves patient satisfaction.

"The VeinViewer technology has enhanced our ability to deliver compassionate care," said Tiffany Merriman, RN, Clinical Nurse Educator at SGCMH. "With the VeinViewer, we’ll reduce not only the number of sticks, but also the levels of stress associated with multiple sticks for the practitioner and the patient. It also helps us care for individuals with small or hard-to-find veins, such as babies, children and those with darker skin tone.”

This machine has already proved its worth. Robin Boxdorfer, RN on Med-Surg, had a patient who was a particularly hard “stick.”

“Last week it took me nearly 30 minutes to find a good vein,” Boxdorfer said. “This week, when I used the VeinViewer, I saw one right away, and it wasn’t where I thought one would be. I couldn’t believe it--and the patient was thrilled, too.”

The VeinViewer, which rolls around on wheels and resembles a small X-ray machine, shines an infrared light onto an arm or leg and projects a real-time image of the vascular system lying beneath the skin. This neon-green image guides nurses as they use the sense of touch to verify a vein’s location.

Merriman stressed that there are no risks or side-effects involved with the VeinViewer - only benefits.

"It's non-invasive, no heat is involved and there is no direct patient contact," she said. "Kids like it because they think it's cool. Parents like it because they know the procedure is not psychologically or physically stressful. Healthcare professionals like it because it provides an accurate target in real-time fashion."

Rita Brumfield, Chief Nursing Officer at SGCMH, is pleased with the hospital’s decision to acquire the VeinViewer.

“The purchase of this and other state-of-the-art equipment is consistent with our mission to provide high quality service and personable care as we seek to improve the well-being of our community,” Brumfield said.

For more information on the VeinViewer, call Tiffany Merriman at Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital at 573-883-4457.