Family CARE Grants Improve Comfort for Patients Requiring IV Access
Published Monday, July 6, 2026
Kerri Doucette, RPN from Medical Inpatient Unit 2B at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, is pictured with a Venoscope vein finder transilluminator funded through the Family CARE Grants program.
Securing an IV can be stressful and uncomfortable for patients, especially when veins are difficult to locate. Thanks to support through the Health Sciences Foundation's Family CARE Grants program, four additional Venoscope vein finder transilluminators have been funded to help improve the patient experience at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
The handheld devices help healthcare providers more easily locate suitable veins, reducing the number of IV attempts patients may require. The new vein finders will support patient care on 1A Medicine and Oncology and units 2A, 2B, and 2C, helping patients receive IV therapy more quickly and comfortably. Faster and more accurate vascular access can also help prevent delays in treatment and medication administration while improving comfort and patient satisfaction.
Made possible through donor support and Thunder Bay 50/50 participants, the Family CARE (Care Advancement Recommended by Employees) Grants program helps frontline staff bring smaller but meaningful ideas to life for patients and families. Over the years, Family CARE Grants have supported vein finder technology in several patient care areas throughout the Hospital, helping staff provide more efficient and compassionate care for patients requiring IV access during their stay.
To see more projects funded through the program and learn how you can help support future ideas, visit healthsciencesfoundation.ca/familycare.