Evaluation of a sterile surgical skin marker to indicate the optimal vein for venepuncture in the blood donation setting

Background and objectives Phlebotomy is a central task for blood donation; however, not all blood donors have veins that are easy to see or feel. This study aimed to determine whether use of a surgical skin marker to highlight the donors’ vein location and direction prior to venepuncture increased blood donation success. Methods All blood donors who participated in this study were eligible to donate according to Australian guidelines. Ten donor centres with phlebotomy success rates