Yoriko Watanabe University of Shizuoka School of Nursing

Peripheral venipuncture, the insertion of a needle into a vein for blood collection or intravenous infusion, is a technique that nurses perform on a daily basis. However, the technique is very personal and varies greatly from person to person. If the puncture fails, the puncture mark can cause physical and psychological distress to the patient, such as the misunderstanding of illegal drug use. In this study, we will measure finger contact force and position (posture) when palpating difficult-to-puncture veins that cannot be seen by skilled nurses during peripheral venipuncture during intravenous injection, and measure the probed veins with ultrasound images to evaluate the validity of vein palpation. We will also conduct interviews with nurses to numerically elucidate their techniques for palpating veins that are difficult to puncture. We believe that the results of this study will lead to the development of efficient teaching methods for vein palpation techniques in the future.