Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The use of topical anesthesia during intravenous catheter insertion in adults: a comparison of pain scores using LMX-4 versus placebo.
Intravenous (IV) catheter placement is an extremely common painful procedure performed in all ages and healthcare settings, more often than not without anesthetics, despite clear research and guidelines demonstrating their effectiveness. This study examined differences in pain scores following topical anesthetic and placebo application, in a sample of healthy adult volunteers experiencing IV catheterization. ⋯ These findings suggest that the topical use of LMX-4 anesthetic cream is a viable option for reducing the pain associated with IV catheter insertion in adults.