Cannulation Blood in the Flashback Chamber

Nurses General Nursing

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I was wondering about nurses opinions on IV cannulations. I am designing a part for cannulas and was wondering do people prefer to see the blood to know the cannula was in the vein or if there was a way of telling it is in the vein would it matter if the flashback of blood was seen or not?

Thank you

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I like seeing the flashback in the chamber. thats just me.

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I expect flashback. Very occasionally I will go ahead and thread if I am just certain I am in--I'm using a 22 or 24 on a tiny vein, I'm palpating, I felt the "give" of it entering the vein, visually it looks in (if it's a superficial vein). Then I'll slowly flush while I advance the cannula. However, usually I'm not in or I've blown it if I can't get flash.

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I'm not the greatest IV starter, I always want to see blood.

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Specializes in ER, IICU, PCU, PACU, EMS.

I like seeing blood in the chamber.

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Specializes in CVIC, ortho surgery.

If there was another way to know, visualizing the blood would not be necessary, and possibly less disturbing to the patient.

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Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.

I like the flashback.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I like to see the flashback as well.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/Onc.

What other way is there? Can't really answer your question since I know of no other way to know if I'm in the vein. So if you designed a cannula where I could tell without blood, and it worked really well, that would be great.

Right now you have to see blood, so it isn't a preference kind of thing.

Unless I'm misunderstanding something.

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i like to see the flashback. Its one way of assuring im in the vein.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Home, pre-hospital.

Flashback is great, but you can still "blow" the vein, i.e. "infiltrate" it even with flashback. After cannulation, if you are in the vein you should be able to either attach tubing for a fluid bag or tubing for a saline lock. If you are "in" the vein you can lower the bag and see if blood moves into the tubing or try and withdraw blood thru a syringe gently. If you are "in" then you will see blood moving thru the tube or into the syringe and it can be easily returned without swelling or other other signs of infiltration. Reveiw IV starts in your literature, and review the many ways to tell if you have a patent IV. Hope that helps!:)

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Specializes in ER.

I want to see flashback.

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