Patients with bleeding disorders often need to self-infuse medication at home to prevent or treat bleeding complications. Learning how to do this can be intimidating, especially for children.
The Hematology team at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children developed an infusion education tool called VainSim (Venous Access Infusion Simulator).
VainSim allows patients to practice skills they need to self-administer their medication safely and confidently.
A survey from 2017 found that many Hemophilia Treatment Centers did not have the necessary tools to teach self-infusion effectively.
Currently, there are no national standards or guidelines for self-infusion education, and many nurses who teach this skill lack updated tools and simulators to help their patients practice.
To address this issue, VainSim was developed — a realistic trainer to help patients with bleeding disorders practice gaining venous access for factor administration.
VainSim is a 3D-printed reusable tool that looks and feels like real skin with veins and tissue. It allows patients to learn how to locate the vein and access with a needle to infuse their medication. By repetitive practice using VainSim tool, patients will learn the correct techniques without sticking themselves.
VainSim will provide a safe and effective way for patients to learn this important skill. This tool can be used for patients from young adolescence to adulthood who need factor replacement on a regular or as-needed basis.
Our project aims to help patients with bleeding disorders gain confidence in self-infusion at home. We hope that VainSim will lead to improved medication compliance, faster treatment of bleeding complications, increased independence, fewer missed work or school days, fewer hospital visits, and lower healthcare costs.
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