Injection Technique & Needle Gauges

Diagram D – Injection techniques

We need to be using a 25-degree angle to inject intravenously as it has been proven this depth is where you will meet most veins.

Needle Gauges

Diagram E – Needle Gauges

Be sure to use the correct gauge to take blood. Gauge means the thickness of the needle. The higher the number, the thinner the needle. A 23-gauge needle is the most appropriate for phlebotomy.

Preparation

An Aseptic technique should be used throughout procedure and all of the equipment below must be placed within a sterile phlebotomy tray with a sharps bin close by.

• Gloves (and consider a plastic gown and protective eyewear and a facemask)
• Antiseptic wipes (2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% alcohol)
• Tourniquet (ideally disposable)
• IV cannula of a suitable gauge
• Cannula dressing pack (usually transparent dressings)
• Syringe containing 0.9% sodium chloride flush
• Cotton wool swabs or gauze swabs
• Consider applying topical numbing for anxious clients 

  Prominent Venous Tips

  • Make sure the limb is below the level of the heart
  • Milking a vein from proximal to distal can make it appear more prominent
  • Ask the patient to repeatedly make a fist with their hand
  • Apply a gauze soaked in lukewarm water for two to three minutes
  • Gently wipe the skin with an alcohol swab.

  Ultrasound and handheld infrared devices can also be very useful to locate veins, where available.