Authors

1Santiago García-Velasco Sánchez-Morago, 2Mª Dolores Sánchez Coello

Position

¹Diplomado en Enfermería del Servicio de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital General de Ciudad Real.²Supervisora de Unidad del Servicio de Medicina Interna del Hospital General de Ciudad Real.

Contact address

C/ Capellán Marcelo Colino, 5, casa 10. 13002 Ciudad Real.

Contact email: santgarc@telefonica.net

Abstract

Patient satisfaction in what refers to nursing care is one of the best quality indications of total satisfaction. Inserting an endovenous catheter for the administration of medication or to perform diagnostic tests via a vascular access is a much-feared procedure by many adults and virtually by all children. Applying adequate anaesthesia prior to the insertion of the catheter avoids the pain experienced by the patients.
This article reviews the three most common pharmacological interventions used by nurses to reduce the pain associated to vein punctures or arterial punctures: application of ethyl chloride, intradermal injection of lidocaine and application of EMLA cream.
Procedures are described for an effective application and a comparison of the advantages and drawbacks of each of them presented.

Keywords:

vascular puncture; local anaesthesia; pain; nursing techniquespharmacology

Versión en Español

Título:

Reducción del dolor de las punciones vasculares. Una intervención enfermera