NWCA Phlebotomy Technician Credential Practice Exam

How should a phlebotomist handle an IV line when drawing blood?

Do not draw from the IV line; if necessary, use a separate site and discard the first 5–10 mL. Draw from the IV line after flushing with saline. Draw through the IV line immediately to save time. Use the IV line only if no other vein is available.

Correct Answer:

Do not draw from the IV line; if necessary, use a separate site and discard the first 5–10 mL.

Explanation:

When collecting blood, IV fluids and medications can contaminate the specimen, diluting or altering the analyte concentrations and leading to inaccurate test results. The safest approach is to avoid drawing from an IV line and instead obtain the sample from a vein away from IV access. If no other vein is available and you must draw, use a separate site and discard the first 5–10 mL of blood to clear the line of IV contents before collecting the sample. This helps ensure the result reflects the patient’s blood rather than the IV fluids. Drawing through the IV line right away would risk contamination and inaccurate results, while relying on the IV line only if no other vein is available is not as reliable for maintaining specimen integrity.

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