Following evaluation, Airglove was adopted into routine practice, improving clinical outcomes, patient experience and infection control practise.
Anuj Gavankar, SACT Practitioner — Ashleigh Hughes, Senior Sister

Situation: The Challenge We Faced
In our oncology and haematology day unit, gaining reliable IV access is a routine but often challenging part of care. A significant proportion of our patients—around 50–65%—present with difficult venous access (DIVA). For most patients, cannulation requires two to three attempts, but in around 10% of cases, it can take four or more attempts. This creates a number of issues including delays in starting treatment, increased patient discomfort and anxiety, and greater pressure on staff.

“At least 50-60% of our patients have difficult access . . . some needing four or five attempts.”

Background: Limitations of Traditional Warming Methods
Before introducing Airglove, our practice relied on reusable heat packs and warm water immersion. These methods presented challenges including infection control risks, lack of consistent temperature control that led to risks and unnecessary equipment costs.

Assessment: Introducing and Evaluating Airglove
Airglove was introduced as a controlled warming solution with consistent heat delivery and a single-patient-use glove. With correct usage (5–7 minutes), we observed improved vein visibility, better cannulation success rates (typically 1–2 attempts), improved workflow efficiency, and enhanced safety with no potential for over heating the skin.

“It really does the job . . . it makes the veins pop up.”

Patients responded positively, often requesting the device and reporting reduced anxiety. Staff also reported increased confidence and reduced stress when managing difficult cannulations.

“Patients ask for it — they call it the warm air for their veins.”

Recommendation: Integrating Airglove into Practice
We strongly recommend Airglove for oncology and haematology patients, particularly those with difficult venous access or needle anxiety. We suggest integrating Airglove into standard pre-cannulation protocols and using it routinely for 5–7 minutes prior to cannulation.

“Staff experienced improved confidence, reduced stress and better first-pass success rate.”

Conclusion
Airglove provides a simple, efficient, and effective solution to improving venous access. It enhances clinical outcomes, improves patient experience, and supports better infection control practice.

“We adopted it because it solved key issues, especially infection control.”

Situation: The Challenge We Faced
In our oncology and haematology day unit, gaining reliable IV access is a routine but often challenging part of care. A significant proportion of our patients—around 50–65%—present with difficult venous access (DIVA). For most patients, cannulation requires two to three attempts, but in around 10% of cases, it can take four or more attempts. This creates a number of issues including delays in starting treatment, increased patient discomfort and anxiety, and greater pressure on staff.

“At least 50-60% of our patients have difficult access . . . some needing four or five attempts.”

Background: Limitations of Traditional Warming Methods
Before introducing Airglove, our practice relied on reusable heat packs and warm water immersion. These method presented challenges including infection control risks, lack of consistent temperature control that led to risks and unnecessary equipment costs.

Assessment: Introducing and Evaluating Airglove
Airglove was introduced as a controlled warming solution with consistent heat delivery and a single-patient-use glove. With correct usage (5–7 minutes), we observed improved vein visibility, better cannulation success rates (typically 1–2 attempts), improved workflow efficiency, and enhanced safety with no potential for over heating the skin.

“It really does the job . . . it makes the veins pop up.”

Patients responded positively, often requesting the device and reporting reduced anxiety. Staff also reported increased
confidence and reduced stress when managing difficult cannulations.

“Patients ask for it — they call it the warm air for their veins.”

Recommendation: Integrating Airglove into Practice
We strongly recommend Airglove for oncology and haematology patients, particularly those with difficult venous
access or needle anxiety. We suggest integrating Airglove into standard pre-cannulation protocols and using it routinely for 5–7 minutes prior to cannulation.

“Staff experienced improved confidence, reduced stress and better first-pass success rate.”

Conclusion
Airglove provides a simple, efficient, and effective solution to improving venous access. It enhances clinical outcomes, improves patient experience, and supports better infection control practice.

“We adopted it because it solved key issues, especially infection control.”