Background:
Accessing the peripheral veins for blood sampling and short-term peripheral intravenous catheter insertion is common in contemporary healthcare. Clinicians may apply heat or promote oral hydration to increase vein diameter and subsequently reveal veins to improve success rates. However, only limited research has examined the effect of these interventions on vein diameter and depth.
Objectives:
To determine the effect of localised heat and oral hydration on vein diameter and depth.
Conclusion:
The use of localised heat was inconsistent in its effect on vein diameter and depth. Oral hydration caused a reduction in vascular calibre in both the cephalic and median cubital veins. Therefore, the promotion of water consumption to improve venipuncture success is not supported.