I was assisting with a procedure for a young patient when I was injured. However, a crisis brings change, and while in recovery, I started thinking about how needle-related procedures and the patient experience have stayed the same for countless years.
Given the prevalence of needle phobia, this is a positive approach to overcoming a common problem. The discreet aesthetics of the device and its similarity to a sticky plaster may assist in uptake, and the technique of activating alternate pain receptor pathways is clever too.
If patients have a poor experience, it can exacerbate their fear of needles. If the procedure itself is done incorrectly, it can result in poor patient outcomes and even injuries for healthcare workers.”
~ Lauren Barber (Clinical Nurse Specialist)
This economical, seemingly simple device has already proven itself, winning Australia’s Good Design Award for Design Excellence in 2021, and was approved as a Class I medical device and received the Consumer Health Products award for innovation in late 2021.
Needle phobia is nothing new to care providers. Studies have shown that most children and 1 in 5 adults experience severe anxiety associated with injections and blood draws, which Lauren has witnessed first-hand.
Fear of needles also has the potential to create a snowball effect. Fearful patients avoid blood tests, vaccinations and chronic condition management due to anxiety related to needles.
Recent advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) for the use of sedation when carrying out vaccinations states that generally, sedatives should not be used as a “first line option”. Even in cases with anxiety or behavioural issues, the advice says these procedures can still be safely performed in the community using non-pharmacological techniques.
Manage the clinical impact of NeedleCalm™ in your facility.
NeedleCalm™ is now available in boxes of 7, 84 and 168.
Haines® Medical Australia can provide complimentary samples and in-house or remote in-services for hospitals interested in reducing the costly impact of needle phobia.
