I just noticed that a lot of us prefer using winged infusion sets for difficult draws, but I’m curious — do they really make a big difference? I recently had a patient with small veins, and I found it easier to use a butterfly needle. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced that or prefers traditional vacutainers instead.
, I totally get where you’re coming from; for those tiny veins, I swear by butterfly needles too; they really do make a difference… But I’ve had times when switching back to vacutainers felt less messy with certain patients.
I’ve found that for really tricky veins, butterfly needles often allow for better angling and less blowout. I had a patient once with veins so small they were practically non-existent, and switching to a winged infusion set made all the difference. But I can see how some might stick to vacutainers for everyday draws — it really depends on the situation. @lmitchell, do you find you switch back often, or do you prefer one over the other in general?