Tips for inserting an indwelling needle

When it comes to indwelling needles, everyone is familiar with them. If you need frequent infusions after becoming ill, it is best to use an indwelling needle. Because ordinary needles need to be removed after one use, and the next time you have an infusion, you will need to reinsert the needle. If this happens frequently, your blood vessels will be under great pressure. The indwelling needle can be used multiple times. So, what are the techniques for inserting an indwelling needle?

"One Stable" - Stable mentality

Before inserting the needle, the nurse must have a steady mentality, be confident, and have an attitude of "I can do it". She must not panic or blush. A good mental state is the first key step to a successful puncture.

The movements when inserting the needle should be steady and standardized, and carried out in an orderly manner according to the daily training steps. The nurse's words and actions directly affect the patient's mood and cooperation.

“Second accuracy” – accurate needle insertion

When inserting the needle, tighten the skin below the puncture site with your left hand to fix the blood vessel. The needle should be inserted straight above the blood vessel, and the best angle is 30-45°.

Some patients have delicate skin, so the puncture force should be slightly smaller to avoid puncturing too deep. Some patients have rough skin and thick epidermis, so the force should be slightly larger to ensure that the needle is completely inserted into the subcutaneous tissue.

If the patient has edema, after disinfecting the skin, the index and middle fingers of the left hand should also be disinfected. Then, use the left fingers to push the puncture site open to expose the blood vessels and perform the puncture immediately.

For patients with small blood vessels, the force of needle insertion should be slightly smaller and the speed should not be too fast to avoid puncturing too deeply; for patients with poor blood vessel elasticity, the blood return is slower, so the needle insertion speed should not be too fast. After the needle is inserted, pay attention to whether there is a sense of emptiness and whether there is blood return at the needle tip.

"Three Slows" - Deliver casing slowly and advance in small steps

After seeing the blood returning, lower the needle insertion angle and insert the needle parallelly by 1-2mm. Hold the needle still with your right hand and slowly insert the outer sleeve into the blood vessel with your left hand.

The delivery speed must be slow and advanced in small steps, especially for those with small blood vessels that are difficult to puncture. The entire delivery time must be greater than 3 seconds. This can not only avoid damage to the blood vessels due to excessive speed, but also prevent puncture failure caused by puncturing the blood vessels.

After the outer sleeve is completely inserted into the blood vessel, keep your left hand still and withdraw the needle with your right hand while paying attention to the blood return. If the blood returns quickly, it means the puncture is successful.

Never withdraw the needle stylet while inserting the cannula, or withdraw the needle stylet first and then insert the cannula, or insert both the outer cannula and the needle stylet into the blood vessel before withdrawing the needle stylet.

After withdrawing the needle core, first use the little finger of your right hand to gently hold the needle handle, and then use your left and right hands to open the film and cover it on the indwelling needle.