Hugebro, if your wife is a nurse this is all you need her to get to do the job.
18g Angiocath and supplies to start an IV (tourniquet, alcohol wipes, tape)
500ml or 1000ml IV bag of fluids (doesn't matter what kind of fluids)
IV tubing (secondary tubing set, some people call it antibiotic tubing: its shorter and doesn't have one way filter to prevent back flow)
Steps:
- Attach the IV tubing to the bag of fluids and drain into the sink. You should then have an empty bag with tubing attached.
- Get wife to start IV in big vein in bend of your arm. Must use a big vein and 18 gauge angiocath or blood may clot before you get the amount drawn that you want and you will have to start over.
- Attach the IV tubing to the IV and tape down.
- Drop the bag lower than your body. I usually get guys to sit in a recliner and put the bag on the floor.
- The blood will flow backward through the tubing and start to fill up the bag. The bag allows you to keep from making a mess and also lets you measure exactly how much is coming out.
- I would recommend only taking 500-700ml of blood at a time. This is all you need to drop HGB 3 to 4 points.