What Is Cannulation? A Beginner’s Guide to the Process

You may have wondered what is cannulation? Simply put, the procedure is placing a plastic tube that saves millions of lives every single day. In emergency care, doctors place a tiny, flexible tube into the patient’s vein to get bloodstream access.  It helps to administer medications and fluids into the patient’s body to treat them better.

Moreover, cannulation is a vital skill for any healthcare professional. Although it is a common and simple medical process, it requires proper training and experience. Also, studies show that cannulation increases emergency response time by 30%, with 40% of patient satisfaction. 

Learning about vein puncture is very helpful for your healthcare career. In this blog, we will share what is cannulation, the process, the equipment and everything you need to know as a beginner in 2025. So, let’s get into it!

What Is Cannulation?

Cannulation or intubation means inserting a small and flexible plastic tube into the vein. It helps to get access to the bloodstream. The process is highly effective and mostly used in critical care units to deliver medications and save lives.

The vein puncture process is a simple yet efficient medical procedure. It helps to treat the patients quickly and safely. Not only that, the cannula allows you to collect blood samples if needed. However, it reduces multiple needle picks and ensures the patient’s comfort.

The Basic Equipment of the Cannula

IV cannulation is a very simple medical process. It needs very little equipment to perform the process. Here are the basic and essential tools to perform the vein puncture process successfully:

• IV catheter: The IV catheter or cannula is a small plastic tube. It is inserted and placed into the veins.
• Needle: The tool helps to puncture the skin with a sharp edge. A sharp needle makes the puncturing process easier and less painful as well.
• Tourniquet: The device is used for applying pressure on a limb to stop the blood flow for a few seconds. Moreover, it makes finding the veins easier.
• Antiseptic wipes: Before performing cannulation, doctors and medical staff use antiseptic wipes or cotton pads with a sterile solution to make the area clean.
• Dressing tape: After inserting the cannula, doctors use adhesive or dressing tape to secure it in place.
• Sterile gloves: The provider uses sterile gloves to keep the process germ-free and clean.
• Saline flush: The saline flush is used to maintain the patency of the cannula and IV line. Another with that it keeps the line clean and prevents any blockage after medication administration.

Where It’s Commonly Performed

In the human body, we have a lot of veins. However, not all the veins are suitable for vein puncture. The cannulation veins must be flexible and thin. Also, it should be easy to access and visible. Here are the common places to perform IV cannulation:

• Back of the hand: The veins of the back of the hand are easily visible and accessible. The place is used for short-term cannulation.
• Forearm veins: The area has more stable and straight veins. It makes the intubation process efficient for long-term use.
• Inner elbow: The inner elbow veins are also easy to access and perform vein puncture. These veins are mostly used in emergencies for more stability.
• Wrist area: The wrist area is only used when the other veins are hard to access. These veins are flexible and thin, which makes the procedure more effective.
• Foot veins: The foot veins are generally used for children. It can be used for adults when the other veins are hard to access.

Why Is Cannulation Used?

Cannulation is a vital medical process for saving lives in emergencies. It provides direct and reliable access to the bloodstream through a vein. The process is mostly used in the critical care units.

Common Purposes

The common purposes of using cannulation are:

• Medication administration: The vein puncturing process helps to deliver medication directly into the blood. It allows the body to absorb the medication easily and take action.
• Blood transfusion: IV cannulation is used for blood transfusion as well. It allows a safe and controlled blood transfusion process and treats patients with anaemia or severe blood loss.
• BP monitoring: With the cannula, doctors monitor the accurate blood pressure of critical patients. It helps them to track their blood pressure after medication and perform a blood gap analysis.
• Blood sample collection: The intravenous cannula also helps to take blood samples for diagnosis.
• Nutritional support: Cannula helps to provide nutritional support as well. For those who can’t take food orally, it allows them to deliver the nutrients directly into the bloodstream.

Benefits for Patients

The venous cannulas offer several benefits to the patients. It not only saves their lives but also enhances the treatment outcomes. Here are some other benefits for patients of using the cannula:

• Improves medication delivery: IV cannula allows for to delivery of the medication directly into the bloodstream. It ensures the medicines are absorbed fast and helps in effective treatment.
• Minimises repeated needle picks: Moreover, an IV cannula helps in continuous fluid delivery without needing multiple needle picks. It gives quick access to blood whenever needed.
• Upgrades patient’s comfort: The cannula reduces any discomfort and anxiety of the patient. It not only makes the patient positive but also helps to move them easily.
• Reduces the risk of infection: Cannula also reduces the risk of any infection that can occur from several needle picks. In this way, it ensures better safety for a patient.
• Helps in emergency response: The cannula is a life-saving device in emergency care. It helps to get reliable access to veins.

How Is Cannulation Done?

Even though cannulation is a simple medical process, it needs proper training and expertise. Doctors and medical professionals get proper training to perform vein punctures under pressure or in critical moments. Here are the steps of intubation:

• Preparation Steps

Before inserting the cannula, the healthcare providers prepare both the patients and the necessary equipment. Proper preparation helps to reduce the chances of infection. Not only that, but it also increases the success rate of the intubation process.

Along with gathering the basic equipment, phlebotomists clean and sterile the tools. They wash their hands and use sterile gloves. Moreover, they choose the right vein for the intubation. Doctors choose flexible and thin veins for cannulation. It helps to make the process easier and improves the success rate.

• The Insertion Process

Again, before inserting the needle, doctors make sure the vein is visible and stable. They gently pull the skin below the insertion site to make the vein more visible. Then, they insert the cannula at a shallow angle. After placing the cannula perfectly, phlebotomists check the flashback chamber to confirm vein puncture.

• Needle Removal & Securing

After a successful vein puncture, healthcare staff secures the cannula inside. Then, they release the tourniquet and hold the cannula steady to remove the needle safely. They gently press gauze to prevent bleeding.

Together with that, healthcare professionals secure the cannula in place with dressing and adhesive tapes. They also cover the cannula with a transparent dressing. It ensures the cannula stays in place and has no infection risk.

• Aftercare

Doctors and nurses frequently check the cannula. Nurses flush the cannula with saline to prevent any blockage and make the medication delivery smoother. They also advise the patients to keep the area dry and clean. Furthermore, nurses remove the cannula immediately when medication administration is done.

Learn more about how to perform cannulation in detail with our blog!

What Should Beginners Know About Cannulation?

If you want to start your career in healthcare, you must have a clear knowledge of what is cannulation. It is the most important skill for any healthcare professional. However, it needs proper training and expertise to perform intubation effectively in emergencies. You can learn all the cannulation skills from advanced cannulation training courses.

• Who Performs It

According to Glos Hospitals UK, only well-trained and experienced healthcare professionals perform the cannulation. Such as:

• Doctors
• Nurses
• Phlebotomists
• Healthcare assistants
• Respiratory therapists

Risks with Cannulation

Although vein puncture is a safe and effective process, it has a few risks. The complications only occur if the process is not performed correctly. For this reason, doctors and healthcare staff get the proper training and perform the cannula very carefully.

• Possible Issues

Here are some possible issues that can occur during the IV cannulation:

• How Risks Are Handled

The healthcare professionals take various actions to prevent complications and ensure the patient’s safety. They implement various strategies and safety measures. Here are the steps they take:

• Doctors and nurses clean and sterilise the necessary tools and equipment before cannulation.
• They use sterile hand gloves to prevent any infections.
• Furthermore, they choose the right cannulation vein and cannula size for the patient.
• Doctors secure the cannula in place with dressing tapes.
• Another with that nurses always check the insertion site and remove it immediately when the medication delivery is done.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cannulation

Is cannulation painful?

Cannulation mostly causes a short sting or pinch sensation when the needle enters into the skin. It is almost similar to a blood test. However, sometimes, vein puncture can hurt and create a little discomfort for the patient. Doctors and nurses take immediate action then and help the patient to ease the discomfort.

How long does a cannula stay in?

The Royal Orthopedic Hospital recommends not keeping the cannula for more than 72 hours in a place. If the cannulation is done, healthcare professionals remove the cannula as soon as possible. Sometimes staff replace it after 72 hours in a new cannula insertion site.

Can cannulation be done anywhere on the body?

No, cannulation is mostly done in the easily accessible veins. Doctors recommend arms and forearms as the best cannulation insertion sites. For some medical conditions, intubation can be done in the foot, inner elbow or other areas. Moreover, not all veins are suitable for intubation. That’s why doctors check the vein size, flexibility and location for effective intubation.

What’s the difference between cannulation and an injection?

The main difference between the injection and cannulation is the purpose. Injection is used to deliver the medication once with the needle. On the other hand, cannulation means placing a small tube in a vein to get blood access and deliver medication for a long time without multiple needle picks.

Why might cannulation fail?

Most of the time, the cannulation fails because of a faulty insertion process. Poor technique, patient movement, vein collapsing, or small veins are the main reasons for intubation failure. It leads to many other complications and risks to the patient’s health. For this reason, healthcare staff get proper training to perform the cannulation properly.

How to learn cannulation?

To learn intubation, you need to join a professional training course. You can simply check out IV cannulation or advanced phlebotomy training courses. Our courses cover everything you need to start your career in the healthcare setting. You will also get 24/7 support and an industry-recognised certificate to enhance your portfolio.

Final Words

So, now you know what is cannulation and the process well. It is a must-have skill for every healthcare professional. It allows for easy delivery of the medications directly into the blood through a vein. In this way, it gives quick vein access and saves lives in emergencies.

If you want to start your career in healthcare, understanding cannulation is essential. Therefore, you must get proper training and practical experience from professionals to start. Understanding the cannulation process, equipment, and risks prepares you for better success in your healthcare career.

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