Vapocoolant spray reduces venipuncture pain by cooling the skin before needle insertion.
In a double-blind Cleveland Clinic study, 78% of patients who received vapocoolant spray reported less pain than previous blood draws, compared to 14% in the placebo group.
Peripheral intravenous (PIV) cannulation is one of the most common invasive procedures, providing direct access to the bloodstream for fluids, medications, blood products, and nutritional support. It’s also frequently used for blood draws.
Despite how routine it is, IV placement has a high failure rate, up to 35-50%, according to the National Institutes of Health.
The procedures can also be painful, particularly for patients with needle anxiety, which may cause them to move and reduce the chances of a successful first attempt. Providing the patient with a topical anesthetic, like Gebauer's Pain Ease® topical anesthetic skin refrigerant, can help ease discomfort and anxiety, making the process smoother for both patients and healthcare providers.
Dermatology teams work hard to balance clinical excellence with a strong patient experience. For many patients, the biggest hurdle isn’t the procedure itself, but the anticipation of discomfort during minor skin procedures.
Fortunately, Gebauer offers several solutions that can help dermatologists treat patients efficiently while easing anxiety and pain.
Here are a few solutions and examples of approved indications.
Patient satisfaction remains a top priority, especially when it comes to HCAHPS scores.
While using skin refrigerants may not directly influence how patients respond to survey questions or the final results, nurses can make a meaningful impact by prioritizing their comfort throughout the hospital stay.
While implementing patient comfort measures may only take a few minutes, they can pay big dividends when it comes to patient satisfaction survey results. Reducing patient discomfort and providing a better patient experience can be as easy as using one of these three nursing techniques for pain management.
