Method and apparatus for collecting blood samples prior to a blood collection procedure
View Patent ↗A holder for receiving a sampling tube of a blood sampling system is disclosed. The holder has an interior pocket which can be conformed from a closed position to an open position for receiving the sampling tube.
1. A method for obtaining a blood sample from a donor comprising:
providing a blood processing set including at least a blood collection container and a sampling container with an internal flow path extending from an end of the sampling container substantially into an interior chamber of said sampling container, a vein access device and first and second tubing segments for establishing flow communication between said containers and said vein access device;
withdrawing blood from a donor through said vein access device;
introducing said blood directly from said donor through a flow path between said vein access device and said sampling container into the interior chamber of said sampling container;
isolating said flow path between said sampling container and said donor;
withdrawing said blood in said sampling container through said internal flow path from a part of the sampling container interior chamber near to where said blood was introduced;
introducing blood into said collection container after said isolating.
2. The method of claim 1 comprising isolating said flow path by heat sealing said second tubing segment.
3. The method of claim 1 comprising transferring said blood from said sampling container to a sampling vial.
4. The method of claim 1 comprising providing said blood processing set wherein said tubing segments are closed to flow communication between said vein access device and said containers.
5. The method of claim 4 comprising opening flow communication between said sampling container and said vein access device.
6. The method of claim 5 comprising inserting said vein access device into said donor after said opening.