Blood collection assembly

1. A blood collection assembly, comprising:

a needle assembly fixedly coupled to a finger-activated actuator and tubing, the needle assembly comprising a needle; and

a hub configured for housing the needle assembly, the hub comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a channel and the compartment, the channel and compartment positioned in a spaced-apart relationship on a top side of the hub with the compartment positioned distal the channel, the hub further including at least two wings extending from a bottom side of the hub, the compartment housing a shield positioned above the needle, the channel slidably engaging the finger-activated actuator such that when the finger-activated actuator is moved along the channel from the distal end of the hub to the proximal end of the hub, the needle retracts within the hub and the shield falls toward the at least two wings between an end of the needle and the distal end of the hub.

2. The blood collection assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least two gripper pads, the at least two gripper pads coupled to or integral with opposed sides of the hub, the at least two gripper pads enable a user to easily grip the blood collection assembly while in use.

3. The blood collection assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a safety top receptacle mounted to the distal end of the hub.

4. The blood collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the needle assembly further comprises a protrusion.

5. The blood collection assembly of claim 4 , wherein the hub further comprises an indentation on an inside surface of the hub.

6. The blood collection assembly of claim 5 , wherein the blood collection assembly is configured such thatwhen the needle assembly is moved to a retracted position, the protrusion locks into the indentation thereby locking the needle assembly at the proximal end of the hub.

7. The blood collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shield comprises a compressed cotton portion and a plastic portion.

8. The blood collection assembly of claim 7 , wherein the compressed cotton portion is configured to absorb fluid or blood from the end of the needle.

9. The blood collection assembly of claim 8 , wherein the plastic portion is configured to safely ensure that the needle does not advance outwardly through a lid receptacle positioned at the distal end of the hub.

10. The blood collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hub has an angled bottom surface for stabilizing the hub for post insertion, for blood collection, and for needle retraction.

11. The blood collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the finger-activated actuator includes a forward surface angled away from the at least two wings.

12. The blood collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the needle assembly is movably contained within a chamber of the hub, and further wherein, upon retraction of the needle within the hub, the shield is configured to fall from the compartment to the chamber.

13. The blood collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the channel terminates at a proximal surface, the proximal surface facing toward the finger-activated actuator and away from the compartment.

14. A blood collection assembly, comprising:

a hub comprising a channel in a top surface, a finger-activated actuator slidably engaging the channel, the hub comprising a proximal end, a distal end and a channel in a top side of the hub, the hub further including at least two wings extending from a bottom side of the hub and a compartment on the top side of the hub at the distal end and spaced apart from the channel, the compartment positioned distal the channel, the compartment housing a shield, the channel slidably engaging the finger-activated actuator; and

a needle assembly comprising a needle, the needle assembly contained within a chamber of the hub and positioned below the shield, the needle assembly fixedly coupled to the finger-activated actuator such that when a user moves the finger-activated actuator from the distal end to the proximal end of the hub in the channel, the needle retracts within the hub and the shield falls toward the at least two wings between an end of the needle and the distal end of the hub.

15. The blood collection assembly of claim 14 , wherein the needle assembly further comprises a protrusion, and the hub further comprises an indentation on an inside surface of the hub.

16. The blood collection assembly of claim 15 , wherein the blood collection assembly is configured such that when the needle assembly is moved to a retracted position, the protrusion locks into the indentation thereby locking the needle assembly at the proximal end of the hub.

17. The blood collection assembly of claim 14 , wherein the hub has an angled bottom surface for stabilizing the hub for post insertion, for blood collection, and for needle retraction.

18. The blood collection assembly of claim 14 , wherein the finger-activated actuator includes a forward surface angled away from the at least two wings.

19. A method of blood collection, comprising:

accessing a hub comprising a channel in a top surface and a finger-activated actuator slidably engaging the channel, the hub comprising a proximal end, a distal end and a channel in a top side of the hub, the hub further including at least two wings extending from a bottom side of the hub and a compartment on the top side of the hub at the distal end and spaced apart from the channel, the compartment positioned distal the channel and housing a shield, the channel slidably engaging the finger-activated actuator; and

retracting a needle assembly comprising a needle, the needle assembly contained within a chamber of the hub and positioned below the shield, the needle assembly fixedly coupled to the finger-activated actuator such that when a user moves the finger-activated actuator from a distal end to a proximal end of the hub in the channel, the needle is positioned within the hub and the shield falls toward the at least two wings between an end of the needle and the distal end of the hub.