Who this course is for
Nurses and licensed clinical staff reviewing this area of vascular access practice.
Review within your professional scope and facility policy. Procedural practice requires appropriate clinical supervision and separate competency validation.
What you'll learn
- Collect specimens safely from peripheral and central lines
- Apply order of draw and discard technique
- Prevent hemolysis, contamination, and specimen rejection
About the course
Obtain quality specimens while protecting the patient and the device — order of draw, discard/waste technique, central-line sampling, and avoiding hemolysis and contamination.
Try an actual lesson excerpt.
No sign-up or payment required. The preview also links to available sample study materials.
Read the Free PreviewYour course curriculum
4 included modules. Open the sections below to review their topics.
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Phlebotomy from Peripheral and Central Lines
Best practices for obtaining blood specimens from peripheral and central vascular access devices, including discard volumes, push-pull technique, order of draw, contamination prevention, and specimen integrity per CLSI and INS standards.
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PIV300: Basic Principles of Blood Draws
Master the fundamental techniques and protocols for safe, contamination-free blood draws from peripheral and central vascular access devices. This module covers order of draw, discard volumes, and hemolysis prevention strategies.
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PIV325: Drawing Blood Cultures – Preventing Contamination
Master blood culture collection techniques to prevent contamination and ensure diagnostic accuracy. Learn proper antisepsis, volume requirements, multiple set collection, and peripheral versus catheter-based draws.
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PIV455: PIV Blood Draws and Blood Transfusions
Master blood collection technique from PIV: proper discard volume (5-6 mL for adults), order of draw (SSTS, SST, PST, lithium heparin, EDTA, then blood culture bottles), hemolysis prevention, and cleaning protocols. Understand blood transfusion requirements: ABO/Rh type and cross-match, vital signs
Meet the curriculum team
VAC Clinical Education Team
Vascular Access & Consulting
Course lessons include learning objectives and knowledge assessments. Preview the material to see whether the teaching fits your needs.
About VAC Education →Your certificate and clinical next steps
Passing the required module assessments earns a certificate of completion. Online completion does not independently validate hands-on procedural competency or grant a professional license or specialty board certification.
CE approval has not yet been obtained. This course does not award accredited nursing contact hours. References to professional standards describe the educational content, not endorsement or accreditation.
Before you enroll
Comparing learning paths? Our PICC, IV therapy, and midline education guide explains the differences and links to related courses.
How long will it take?
This course contains 4 modules. Work at your own pace; completion time depends on your experience and how much review you need.
What do I receive?
Access to the modules listed above, their lessons and knowledge checks, available study guides and worksheets, and module completion certificates after passing. Clinical supervision and in-person competency sign-off are separate.
How do I get access after payment?
After payment is confirmed, your course opens on this browser. Save the access code on your confirmation page to return on another device. Use the same checkout email when restoring your purchase.
Can I enroll a team or ask a purchase question?
Request facility training information, or contact VAC about course suitability, access, or purchase terms before paying.