A Comforting Solution
"Sick, dehydrated children often have
veins that lie flat, making them all
but impossible to feel through the
skin," said Donna Newman-Beck, RN,
assistant nurse manager at the hospital's
Pediatric Ambulatory Chemotherapy and
Transfusion Center. "But vein viewers
decrease kids' pain and anxiety by
reducing the need for multiple
needle sticks."
Vein viewers use infrared light to "see"
up to a half-inch beneath the skin. This
helps nurses locate shallow veins and
verify whether they are suitable for a
catheter. Young people with chronic
blood disorders such as sickle cell
anemia, leukemia and platelet
disorders benefit from vein viewers
because the devices help nurses to
quickly and accurately pinpoint the
best place to insert a catheter. Before
these devices, nurses used their hands
to find an appropriate vein and guide a
catheter through it, which could be tough
for patients.
The hospital uses its new vein viewers for
inpatient and outpatient transfusions.
The devices are small, portable and simple
to use, so they require minimal training
and fewer staff members to be present
for each patient. The entire process is now
simplified, often requiring one skin prick,
which patients appreciate.
As for Taylor, she's already thinking
ahead to her next act. "My goal is for all
of my books to have a positive message,
so readers believe in themselves after
reading them," she said. "I just hope that
I'm making people happy and the world a
better place."
To contribute to Cohen Children's
Medical Center, visit bit.ly/2juAh3y.
Taylor is currently
working on her
third book,
Furry & Fabulous:
The Life and Times
of Taylor Swift's
Cats.
Comforting Sick Children at Home
To reduce your ill child's symptoms,
the American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends you:
– call your child's pediatrician and describe
your child's symptoms;
– remove excess clothing or blankets to help
bring down their fever;
– give a lukewarm bath;
– follow a schedule for acetaminophen and
ibuprofen as directed by your pediatrician;
– serve bland foods and hydrate your child
with water, diluted fruit juices or popsicles;
– provide a comfortable place to rest;
– check on them frequently; and
– follow up with your pediatrician if
symptoms linger.
Finding a pediatrician your child is comfortable
with is important. Visit bit.ly/kid-md17 to request
an appointment.
CohenChildrens.com
15
COHEN CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER
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