1. NEEDLE AND SYRINGE

2. Needle and syringe Evacuated method is always preferred
Needle and syringe can be used when veins are small and difficult

3. Needle and syringe Disadvantages
No additive in syringe so blood will start to clot
Will only hold a certain amount of blood
Contamination of blood
Potential needle stick injury
Should also be using a transfer device, cost and availability

4. Needle and syringe Advantages No vacuum to collapse vein
Can obtain exact amounts
Good for microcollection

5. Needle and syringe
Consists of a sterile syringe, sterile syringe needle and transfer device

6. Needle and syringe
Needles come in a range of gauges and lengths, as do Vacutainer needles
Must be removed safely from syringe before transferring blood
This is where a needle stick injury may occur
Never transfer blood into a tube by inserting the needle through the tube as this causes haemolysis and can compromise the gel in gel tubes

7. Needle and syringe Syringes come in various sizes and volumes
The largest would usually be 20ml, as they become difficult to hold on to after that and the blood will begin to clot in the syringe
The barrel has graduated markings to gauge the amount collected
Always have the markings facing upwards so that the amount can be observed

8. Needle and syringe
When preparing syringe, break the seal by pulling the plunger backwards and then expel any excess air
Phlebotomist is able to control the speed at which the plunger is pulled back which is an advantage when dealing with difficult veins

9. Transfer device
Must be used when transferring blood from the syringe to the blood tubes
Looks like a Vacutainer barrel with one end of the needle attached

10. Butterflys Winged infusion set
Also used for small and difficult veins, especially children
Allows flexibility and precision

11. Butterflys
The first tube collected will under fill due to the air in the tubing
If the tube contains an additive the blood-to-additive ratio will be affected
Draw a few mls of blood into a discard tube first

12. Butterflys
Plastic extensions that look like butterfly wings are attached to the needle
This allows the needle to be held from above using thumb and index finger
This then can achieve a shallow angle for small veins

13. Butterflys