Evan Alexandrou, RN, MPH, PhD
Correspondence concerning this abstract should be addressed to [email protected]
Introduction: Often, patients presenting to the liver clinic at Liverpool Hospital (Sydney, Australia) who are at risk of viral hepatitis have a history of intravenous drug use, and have difficulty with traditional venipuncture for blood collection. This has historically served as a barrier to engagement, monitoring, and recommended treatment due to the anxiety and pain related to anticipated multiple venipuncture attempts.
Aims:
Assess the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided phlebotomy among patients with difficult veins presenting to the liver clinic for treatment.
Document patient experience of ultrasound phlebotomy compared to previous blood collection experiences.
Assess engagement with the recommended treatments.
Methods:
A 14-point survey with open-ended and Likert scale questions was administered to participants who provided informed consent.
Thematic analysis to interpret the open-ended questions.
Descriptive statistics to present clinical characteristics and outcomes.
Results: Thematic Analysis
A strong...