Why should you avoid drawing from an arm with an IV line?

• A. IV fluids or meds can dilute or contaminate the sample, producing inaccurate results.
• B. It reduces patient discomfort.
• C. It improves sample quality.
• D. It ensures faster collection.

Answer: (A)

Drawing from an arm with an IV can contaminate or dilute the blood sample, leading to inaccurate test results. An IV line carries fluids, medications, or anticoagulants that can enter the collected blood, changing the concentration of analytes such as electrolytes or glucose and skewing values. That’s why the best practice is to draw from a vein without an IV, usually in the opposite arm. If drawing from the same arm is unavoidable, the IV should be managed (not delivering fluid during the draw) and the initial portion of the sample may be discarded to minimize contamination. The other options aren’t about accuracy—IV draws aren’t chosen for comfort, and they don’t inherently improve quality or speed.