VeinTrain's Product HALO approach brings partner innovation into real clinical settings. Our partner Airglove Medical has published an evaluation from the oncology and haematology day unit at the Freeman Hospital, where the Airglove device was adopted into routine practice. We share their findings here.

VeinTrain works with selected partners to bring innovative products into real clinical training and practice environments. Airglove is one of those innovations, and Airglove Medical has now published a clinical evaluation from the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

The evaluation was carried out in the hospital's oncology and haematology day unit and is attributed to Anuj Gavankar, SACT Practitioner, and Ashleigh Hughes, Senior Sister. The findings and quotations below are Airglove Medical's and the Freeman team's own.

The challenge

According to the evaluation, gaining reliable IV access in the day unit is routine but often difficult. Around 50 to 65 per cent of patients present with difficult intravenous access. For most, cannulation takes two to three attempts, and in around 10 per cent of cases it can take four or more. This leads to 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."

The previous approach

Before introducing Airglove, the unit relied on reusable heat packs and warm water immersion. The evaluation notes these methods carried infection control risks, lacked consistent temperature control, and added unnecessary equipment costs.

Introducing and evaluating Airglove

Airglove was introduced as a controlled warming solution with consistent heat delivery and a single-patient-use glove, warming the arm with temperature-controlled airflow. With correct use over five to seven minutes, the Freeman team reported improved vein visibility, better cannulation success rates (typically one to two attempts), improved workflow efficiency, and enhanced safety with no risk of overheating the skin.

"It really does the job . . . it makes the veins pop up."

Patients responded positively, often requesting the device and reporting reduced anxiety, described as: "Patients ask for it - they call it the warm air for their veins." Staff reported increased confidence and reduced stress when managing difficult cannulations: "Staff experienced improved confidence, reduced stress and better first-pass success rate."

The recommendation

The evaluation recommends Airglove for oncology and haematology patients, particularly those with difficult venous access or needle anxiety, and suggests integrating it into standard pre-cannulation protocols, used routinely for five to seven minutes before cannulation.

Summarising the decision to adopt, the team is quoted: "We adopted it because it solved key issues, especially infection control." The headline evaluation statement, attributed to Anuj Gavankar and Ashleigh Hughes, reads: "Following evaluation, Airglove was adopted into routine practice, improving clinical outcomes, patient experience and infection control practise."

Why VeinTrain shares this

Through our Product HALO approach, VeinTrain introduces partner innovations like Airglove within training sessions and Train the Trainer programmes, so clinicians can trial devices in real learning environments and organisations can evaluate value before wider adoption. Evaluations like this one, led by the clinical team using the device, are exactly the kind of evidence that helps keep education, standards and local practice connected as new tools are adopted.

A VeinTrain training experience evidences learning and training completion. It does not replace local employer competency sign-off, local policy, supervision or scope of practice, which remain with the employing organisation.

Source and further reading

This evaluation was produced and published by Airglove Medical Ltd. Read the full evaluation report at airglovemedical.com.

To see Airglove within VeinTrain training, or to explore partnership and training opportunities, contact VeinTrain at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or +44 (0)115 947 6575.