Advanced emergency nursing journal
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Randomized Controlled Trial
EMLA application exceeding two hours improves pediatric emergency department venipuncture success.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether placing Eutectic Mixture of Local Anesthetics (EMLA) at emergency department (ED) triage improves venipuncture success. Emergency department triage nurses prospectively identified patients aged 0-18 years assessed to have 50% or greater chance of needing venipuncture while in the emergency department. Identified patients received EMLA or no intervention according to randomized 24-h blocks. ⋯ Barriers to triage EMLA placement should be evaluated. Application longer than 2 h should be studied further as a means to improve success. EMLA was supplied as a part of the Investigator-sponsored study program of AstraZeneca.