The medial cubital or celphalic
Aren't the veins closer to the surface on medial?
Median cubital, cephalic, and basilica.
I always preferred the back of the hand or those big veins that converge about an inch above the wrist. But most techs are taught to go to the antecubital vein.
Every phlebotomist hopes to see large, prominent veins that are easily visible just below the surface of the skin. Veins with an elastic (sometimes described as a 'bouncy') quality usually indicate large, healthy veins that are less likely to collapse. The medial cubital or cephalic veins are the most common veins used in venipuncture. Veins which are fibrosed, fragile or inflamed should be avoided.
When selecting a site for venipuncture, it is best to start with the veins running through the antecubital area. First, locating the Median Antecubital Vein, Cephalic Vein, and Basilic Vein. If unsuccessful with venipuncture, then approaching the dorsum of the hand, and lastly the dorsum of the foot.
A tourniquet may be used to aid in venipuncture to make accessing veins easier, or in preventing life-threatening bleeding.
The most common sites are the Median Cubital and Cephalic Veins although other sites may be used. *(this next part was already here and may be wrong; the above is what I found in my textbook)* - The best advice is to start low and work your way up (ie start with the top of the hand, and use the antecubital area inside the elbow if the hand veins become inaccessible.
Venipuncture in the feet is not advisable because the veins are smaller and harder to access, increasing the risk of injury, nerve damage, and infection. Additionally, the flow of blood from the feet to the heart is slower, which can compromise the quality of the blood sample. It is generally safer and more effective to do venipuncture in areas with larger, more accessible veins such as the arms.
A butterfly needle with tube and vacuum syringe.
The three methods of venipuncture are vacuum method (using a vacuum tube system to collect blood), syringe method (using a syringe to manually draw blood), and butterfly method (using a small butterfly needle for difficult veins or sensitive patients).
Median Cubital & Cephallic