Venepuncture should only be undertaken by authorised and trained personnel.
Items used for venepuncture must be sterile, single-use and disposable. If the dry outer wrapping of sterile packs becomes wet the contents must not be used. Prior to use, session staff must ensure that the materials used for venepuncture are sterile, in date and suitable for the procedure to be undertaken. The sterile donor needle should not be uncovered and its tamper-proof cover should be checked for integrity immediately prior to the venepuncture.
As soon as the venepuncture has been performed, the clamp on the bleed line must be released.
It is important that a clean, skilful venepuncture is carried out to ensure the collection of a full, clot-free unit of blood suitable for the preparation of labile blood components.
The tubing attached to the needle should be taped to hold the needle in place during the donation.
At the start of the donation an aliquot of blood should be diverted into a pouch. It is recommended that this pouch has a means of access opposite the entry line which allows blood to be sampled for testing without compromising the environmental integrity of the blood in the main pack. Care should be taken that the volume of blood taken for samples does not lead to the total donated volume exceeding donation limits. For apheresis donors who give frequently, the total sample volume per year should also be considered.