Blood collection assembly

A blood collection assembly, comprising:

• a hub comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a channel, a chamber and a compartment, the channel in communication with the chamber, the channel further extending along a top side of the hub, the channel terminating at a distal position on the top side of the hub, the channel and chamber extending in a longitudinal direction from the proximal end to the distal end of the hub, the compartment extending in an orthogonal direction to the longitudinal direction and positioned in a spaced-apart relationship from the distal position on the top side of the hub with the compartment positioned distal the channel;
• a needle assembly having a needle and a finger-activated actuator, the needle assembly slidable along the channel in the longitudinal direction from an advanced position to a retracted position, wherein a distal tip of the needle is positioned distal the hub when the needle assembly is in the advanced position and the distal tip is positioned within the chamber of the hub when the needle assembly is in the retracted position;
• and
• a shield positioned within the compartment between a cover on the top side of the hub and a longitudinal extent of the needle when the needle assembly is in the advanced position, wherein when the needle assembly slides along the channel to the retracted position, the shield falls downward in the compartment to be positioned between the distal tip and the distal end of the hub.