Landmark Velano Vascular Nurse Survey Highlights Realities of Inpatient Blood Draws

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Oct 17, 2016) - Medical device innovator Velano Vascular today unveiled findings from the first phase of its multi-year nurse blood collection practice survey. Initial results document a wide variance of hospital blood collection practices, even within a single institution. Respondents overwhelmingly believe standardization and innovation can have a significant positive impact on both patient experience and practitioner safety.

"A clear narrative is emerging from these early findings; there is a need for a new, more compassionate standard of care when drawing blood in a hospital setting," said Velano Vascular Chief Executive Eric M. Stone. "With so many patients experiencing the 'pin cushion effect' of hospitalization, and with our population of difficult venous access patients increasing in prevalence, the potential for pain and anxiety continues to grow."

Key findings from respondents at participating institutions include:

• Participants estimated that 25% of patients receive "fishing" or probing during venipuncture (a needle stick), and that an equal amount of patients get re-sticks with approximately 45% those experiencing more than two attempts;
• Up to 33% of all patients are difficult venous access (DVAs), resulting in multiple sticks, bruising and insufficient samples. This number is expected to grow with increasing prevalence of chronic disease, obesity, and aging population;
• Nearly 88% of respondents believe that blood collection needle sticks have a moderate to major negative impact on patient experience;
• Of those surveyed, 82% have some level of concern about accidental needle sticks or occupational health hazards during blood draws;
• Nearly 90% of respondents indicated they would frequently or almost always use a needle-free device for blood collection.

"Blood draws are a critical part of medical diagnosis and care, but nurses are clearly telling us that the process needs improvement from their perspective, and that of their patients," said Kim Henrichsen RN, MSN, chief nursing officer and vice president of clinical operations for Intermountain Healthcare. "We are committed to pursuing a new standard of care industry-wide using technologies and practices that will better serve patients and protect our practitioners."

The survey data also chronicled the significant variability in who collects blood in a hospital setting with nurses, nursing assistants, phlebotomists, and physicians all participating across floors and clinical departments. This demonstrates an opportunity for greater standardization and training that can contribute to improved and more efficient blood collection practices. Further, nearly 80% of nurse respondents indicated a preference for line draws over venipuncture for blood collection. When combined with practitioner willingness to use needle-free devices, the survey illuminated a path for accelerated adoption of improved line draw technologies.

"University Hospitals is an institution deeply committed to the well-being of both our patients and employees, and this study has uncovered ways that we can bring change to areas of medicine long taken for granted," said University Hospitals Chief Experience Officer Joan Zoltanski, MD. "The data shows we can improve the patient experience and the crucial interaction our patients have with our caregivers, while also better supporting our practitioners."

Velano Vascular's first phase data was collected from hundreds of nurses over the last year at Intermountain Healthcare in Utah, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland. All data was compiled and analyzed by Charter Oak Research. Velano will continue to survey practitioners over the two-year project to document a baseline for current inpatient blood collection processes in the United States and globally and in support of its mission to arrive at a more compassionate standard of care for blood draws.

About Velano Vascular
Velano Vascular is a medical device company committed to reducing the pain, risk, and inefficiencies of vascular access and blood collection practices. The company's revolutionary PIVO device enables needle free blood draws directly from Peripheral IV catheters, aiming to enable more compassionate care for hospital inpatients, a safer practice for caregivers, and a more financially responsible alternative for health systems. Founded by a healthcare entrepreneur and patient advocate and a physician, Velano Vascular is backed by a series of well-respected investment firms, health systems, and dozens of health-industry veterans. Velano Vascular's collaborators include several of the leading hospital systems in the United States. More information is available at www.velanovascular.com.