Evaluation of an improved small gauge needle for venipuncture in children with difficult venous access: Impact on sample quality, phlebotomist satisfaction and patient pain perception

Smaller needles gauge (G) may reduce pain and improve vein access in difficult venous access (DVA). Aims were to compare the performances of two Beckton-Dickinson (BD) Vacutainer® Blood Collection Sets in a pediatric setting: UltraTouch™ Push Button (UT-PBBCS) and Safety-Lok™ (SLBCS).Questionnaires were used to record venipuncture features, patient pain perception and phlebotomist difficulty score. Specimen quality was evaluated by hemolysis index (HI) on Roche Cobas® 6000.SLBCS (21/23G) or UT-PBBCS (23/25G) were used in 211 (50.2%) and 209 (49.8%) subjects. Pain was associated with age (p 0.0001) and was lower in UT-PBBCS (p = 0.0339). Difficulty was significantly associated with age (p = 0.002), not with needle gauge (p = 0.461) and it was 0.42 points lower in UT-PBBCS. HI was not associated with blood collection set (p = 0.385).UT-PBBCS globally performed better than SLBCS and could enhance phlebotomy and patient comfort, without affecting sample quality in pediatric patients with DVA.