BD Announces Launch of BD Vacutainer® Push Button Blood Collection Set with Pre-Attached Holder

BD Diagnostics, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), announces the U.S. launch of the BD Vacutainer® Push Button Blood Collection Set with Pre-Attached Holder. The ready-to-use product has been designed to help protect healthcare workers from accidental needlestick injuries (NSIs) during the blood collection process and to prevent reuse of the tube holder. 

"The pre-attached holder provides additional protection from tube holder-end needlestick injuries.  When used as intended, this product virtually eliminates a healthcare worker's exposure to a contaminated needle," said Dr. Ana Stankovic, worldwide vice president of medical and scientific affairs and clinical operations at BD Diagnostics – Preanalytical Systems. "In the healthcare setting where every second is valuable, this new product also helps healthcare professionals focus more on patient care by reducing the time required to collect blood for diagnostic testing."

As with the original BD Vacutainer® Push Button Blood Collection Set (PBBCS), the new product's in-vein activation of the safety device provides split-second protection against NSIs.  After adopting the PBBCS, one hospital reported an 88 percent reduction in NSIs involving butterfly needles, with zero NSIs in the final 21 months after implementing the product.(1)

Many healthcare organizations have also recognized the risk of reusing blood collection tube holders. A study conducted by the National Phlebotomy Association reported that 99 percent of sampled reusable blood tube holders were contaminated with blood. Tube holders that are reused have not been disinfected or sterilized, posing unnecessary exposure to bloodborne pathogens including HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B virus.(2) Single-use holders that are pre-attached to safety-engineered blood collection needles may provide the highest level of infection prevention for the healthcare industry.(2)

The BD Vacutainer® Push Button Blood Collection Set with Pre-Attached Holder offers:

-- Safety – pre-attached holder covers the holder end of the needle, reducing the risk of injury

-- Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) single-use mandate that prohibits re-use of blood tube holders

-- Efficiency – device pre-assembly saves time by consolidating the blood collection process.

The BD Vacutainer® Push Button Blood Collection Set with Pre-Attached Holder joins the BD Vacutainer® Eclipse™ Blood Collection Needle and the BD Vacutainer® Safety-Lok™ Blood Collection Set as a complete array of pre-attached blood collection systems.  For more information, please visit: http://www.bd.com/vacutainer/hcw_safety.

References

1. Hotaling M. A retractable safety winged steel (butterfly) needle performance improvement project. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety 2009;35(2):100-105.

2. National Phlebotomy Association Safety Alert. Available at: www.nationalphlebotomy.org/896362.html.