What equipment does a phlebotomist use?
When beginning your Phlebotomy training, it is crucial to familiarize yourself with the wide range of equipment you may use on a day-to-day basis. At a minimum, the phlebotomy equipment required when drawing blood includes gloves, alcohol or iodine to cleanse the area, a tourniquet, blood tubes, a tube holder, needles, tape, and gauze.
While the process of drawing blood is similar for each phlebotomist, the equipment the phlebotomist chooses to use may differ depending on the patient’s size and venous access. It is crucial for the phlebotomist to understand the various types of supplies available in order to choose the most appropriate type of needle, disinfectant, blood collection device, blood tubes, and dressing for each patient they encounter.
A phlebotomist should be knowledgeable of the wide range of needles, tubes, etc. they will encounter in the field. They should also understand the tools available to support them as they do their job.
In this guide, we’ll discuss the various types of phlebotomy supplies that a phlebotomist may use when performing a blood draw.
Phlebotomy Supplies:
1. Phlebotomy Chair
After arrival for a blood draw, the patient usually sits in a phlebotomy chair. These chairs are designed with adjustable arm rests that allow the phlebotomist to easily access the patient’s arms.
2. Supplies for Locating a Vein
There are many kinds of phlebotomy equipment available that help the phlebotomist locate a vein to obtain a blood sample:
- Tourniquet – This rubber-band-like device is used to occlude venous blood flow and help phlebotomists discover the vein. After applying the tourniquet, the phlebotomist will use their fingers to locate a vein. The vein will feel bouncy under the pressure of the finger. The tourniquet is used for almost every patient.
- Hot Pack – Phlebotomists often use instant warm packs on the patient’s arm or heel to encourage venous dilation, which makes the veins more exposed. This makes it easier to find a vein for patients with more difficult veins.
- Vein Finder – This electronic device utilizes light to locate veins. This is helpful when a phlebotomist has difficulty locating a vein.
3. Skin Disinfectant
There are different disinfectants used to clean the skin before a needle puncture.
- Alcohol Swabs – Small squares of alcohol-soaked gauze that are used to disinfect skin.
- Chloraprep – A different type of disinfectant that contains chlorohexidine and carries antiseptic properties. Chloraprep is most often used before obtaining blood cultures.
- Iodine – Another type of skin cleanser with antibacterial properties.
4. Needle
The needle is used to puncture the skin and enter the vein. There are different types of needles used by phlebotomists. Each type of needle comes in various gauge sizes. The phlebotomist must determine the best needle type and size depending on the type of blood draw required.
- Butterfly Needles – Also sometimes referred to as a winged infusion set, these are small needles with wings that come connected to flexible tubing. The end of the butterfly needle tubing can be connected to a vacutainer device.
- BD Eclipse – This is a multi-sample vacuum collection needle. The BD eclipse has a safety device attached and is used for venipuncture using the vacuum tube collection system.
- Multi-Sample Blood Collection Needle - This all-in-one device has two needles that are screwed into the holder. One needle is inserted into the vein while the vacuum blood collection tube is then inserted into the holder. The blood collection tube is punctured by the needle on the other end of the tool which allows for sample collection.
- Lancet – A small device that contains a very small needle. When the lancet is engaged, the needle quickly enters and exists the skin, resulting in a small amount of bleeding from the site. This device is used on heels and fingers, usually on people with small or fragile veins.
5. Blood Collection Device
These devices attach to the end of the selected needle to allow the phlebotomist to draw blood back from the vein. This device allows blood to transfer from the vein, through the needle, and into the blood collection tube.
- Vacutainer System – A plastic tube that attaches to the end of butterfly needles, the BD eclipse, or multi-sample blood collection needles. This plastic tube contains a rubber stopper that allows for accessing the vacutainer blood collection vials without using a needle.
- Syringe – Syringes are used to collect blood from patients with small or fragile veins instead of using the vacutainer system. The syringe is attached to the end of the selected needle tubing. After entering the vein with the needle, the phlebotomist will draw back blood with the syringe. Using a syringe for blood collection requires an extra step: using a blood transfer device.
6. Transfer Devices
If blood is collected in a syringe, this device screws onto the syringe and contains a mechanism that transfers the blood from the syringe into the blood container tube. This protects phlebotomists from an accidental needle stick.
7. Blood Collection Tubes
- Blood Culture Bottle – Blood culture bottles are used to collect blood from patients suspected of septicemia or bacteremia. These bottles are often compatible with the vacutainer phlebotomy equipment.
- Vacutainer Tubes – Vacutainer tubes are used with vacuum container systems or with a blood transfer device. There are various types of containers that have different additives to allow for certain laboratory tests. A few examples of these tubes may include: Purple – A blood collection tube containing EDTA which is an anticoagulant. It is used to obtain a complete blood count. Green – A blood collection tube containing heparin which is an anticoagulant. It is used to obtain whole blood samples for analysis. Gold – A blood collection tube containing clot activator and serum separator. It is commonly used for chemistry collections. Blue – A blood collection tube containing sodium citrate. It is used for coagulation studies.
- Microtainer ® Tube* - Microtainer® tubes are tiny blood collection tubes that are used to collect blood from a skin puncture obtained by a lancet (usually via finger or heel). These are often used for those patients who are difficult draws. A “difficult draw” includes patients with fragile or difficult veins, such as: infants, small children, or elderly patients.
- Microhematocrit Tube – These small glass blood collection tubes are used for collecting blood from the capillary after using a lancet. They are often used to determine the percentage of red blood cells.
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Contact Us To Learn More8. Patient Label
After blood collection, a sticker is applied to the blood collection tube to identify the patient it belongs to. The label should include the time, date, and initial of the phlebotomist that collected it.
9. Safety
Phlebotomist’s handle lots of blood and safety is very important. Certain devices exist to avoid phlebotomist exposure to blood borne pathogens. Phlebotomists should be aware of the safety equipment available when handling this biohazardous material.
- Preventing Accidental Needle Sticks – Devices that minimize the risk of the phlebotomist accidentally being exposed to a dirty needle.
- Re-Sheathing Devices – After the needle is withdrawn from the patient, most blood draw needles have mechanisms that allow the phlebotomist to cover the needle without needing to touch it.
- Needle Holders – This needle-safety device is used along with the vacuum blood collection system to stabilize the needle during the blood draw, so the phlebotomist doesn’t have to hold the needle while changing out blood collection tubes.
- Sharps Container – After the needle has been used for a blood draw, the phlebotomist disposes of the needle in a labeled sharps container. This puncture-proof and leak-proof container prevents exposure to blood borne pathogens.
- Biohazard Bags – After the blood is in blood collection tubes and labeled with a patient sticker, the phlebotomist places the blood into a biohazard bag before delivering the blood to the laboratory. These bags clearly label the blood tubes as a possible biohazard material during transport.
- Gloves – The phlebotomist wears gloves throughout the collection process.
10. Dressing Supplies
After drawing blood, the phlebotomist applies a dressing to the site that they drew blood from. This prevents the patient from continuing to bleed.
- Gauze – After withdrawing the needle, the phlebotomist will apply pressure to the vein using gauze, usually using a 2×2 size gauze pad.
- Tape – After pressure has been applied, the phlebotomist will use medical tape to adhere the gauze onto the skin to allow for healing before the patient removes it.
- Band-Aid – A band-aid is usually used for smaller needle sites that have less bleeding. Typically, band-aids will be used on the finger or heel after a lancet needle blood draw.
How to Get Comfortable Using Phlebotomy Equipment
Choosing the Right Phlebotomy Equipment for the Blood Draw
- Take the time to understand each of the different pieces of phlebotomy equipment you will be responsible for using.
- Understand when you will use varying types/sizes of needles and the appropriate blood collection tubes that go along with them.
- Recognize the different blood collection tubes you will use and the order in which you will draw them.
- Review the human anatomy of veins so you know where to locate them.
Training on Phlebotomy Supplies
- Assemble different combinations of needles with varying transfer devices.
- Practice using the different blood collection devices.
- Prepare labels and send collected blood tubes.
Practice on a Phlebotomy Training Arm
- Before performing a blood draw on a real person, practice using your phlebotomy supplies on a training arm. These mannequins mimic a real human arm and allow the phlebotomist-in-training to become comfortable using the various blood draw supplies they will soon use on real patients.
- This provides an opportunity to become proficient with the hand-eye coordination that comes with inserting the needle and then maneuvering your hands to collect blood samples from the vein.
Take Your Training to the Real-World
- When you feel comfortable selecting the appropriate phlebotomy equipment, assembling it correctly, and the motor skills of performing a blood draw, you will feel prepared to perform blood draws on real patients.
How Arizona College Can Help You Prepare for a Phlebotomy Career
Arizona College’s Medical Assistant with Phlebotomy Certification program offers:
- Morning and evening classes available
- Online/In-Person hybrid learning format
- Real-world healthcare training through externship program
- Financial aid available to those who quality
- Open lab and tutoring opportunities
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Contact Us To Get Started*Microtainer® is a registered trademark of Becton, Dickinson and Company.
Information in this post is accurate as of .
*The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program at Arizona College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (https://www.aacnnursing.org/). All Arizona College of Nursing and Arizona College campuses are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (https://www.abhes.org/), a U.S. Department of Education-recognized national accrediting agency.