Venoscope

[explenture]

Has anybody used a product such as is at Venoscope

Do they work to improve IV success? Plusses and minuses?

[Just Plain Ruff]

Nice device, streamlined and compact but can't see the cost benefit analysis for EMS. I think that money could be spent better elsewhere.

It might be a good thing on a supervisors vehicle when they respond with you to a cardiac arrest or major trauma.

I think it might require that extra set of hands taht could be doing something else.

I like the product though.

[AZCEP]

No it is not worth the money. I have one, and in most ambient light situations it does nothing to help you.

It does not require another hand to use, you just have to be sure to place it a bit away from where you make your stick. It takes some practice to become proficient with, like any other tool.

It's a nice idea that doesn't really have a place for most EMS providers that work in daylight.

[Just Plain Ruff]

The ambient light is where it got me thinking. how bright is the light. Does it provide any better viewing of the veins in sunlight or flourescent light? I would probably have to guess no.

Now in darkness maybe

[pyroknight]

It's a cool tool for the ED though. I have used one several times (especially on peds) when I (and everyone else I could grab) was having trouble starting an IV. I typically find the vein, mark the "ends", prep the "middle", and then start the IV.

I agree that in an ambulance where you cannot control the ambient light, it would have a lower degree of usefulness.

[mrmeaner]

It's a cool tool for the ED though. I have used one several times (especially on peds) when I (and everyone else I could grab) was having trouble starting an IV. I typically find the vein, mark the "ends", prep the "middle", and then start the IV.

I agree that in an ambulance where you cannot control the ambient light, it would have a lower degree of usefulness.

X2. I've used it on patients that had deep veins but as stated before, it only works in the dark.

[scratrat]

Our medical director is ironically the one who designed the first model. So of course we carry it. It works on normal skin, but I've found it does not work on dark skin. And if the veins are deep, and their skin is dark, no luck. I've used it once. I've had better luck with a blind stick, where a vein 'should' be.

[ReD]

Ive played with em and i dont like em. i can start lines just fine without one.

I agree that in an ambulance where you cannot control the ambient light, it would have a lower degree of usefulness.

whats to keep you from turning lights off in the back?

[AZCEP]

Unless you are in an enclosed bay with the doors closed and the lights off, there will still be enough ambient light to limit the utility of the device.

Leave this one for use in the batcave, and you will find it useful. Otherwise, save your money for something else.

[pyroknight]

Yup. In the ED you can close the door and turn out the lights (our new ED is in the dungeon, below grade, so windows are not a problem), but in the back of a rig on a sunny day, turning out the lights will not make it dark enough to do you any good.