Method for making a safety shield assembly and related combinations thereof

A method of making a safety shield assembly and a needle assembly comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a conventional needle assembly comprising a hub and a needle connected to said hub wherein said needle comprises a non-patient end and an intravenous end comprising a bevel up end;
• (b) providing a needle shield comprising a rearward end, a forward end, a slot or longitudinal opening in the forward end, an arm in said slot having a forward end and a rearward end that is attached to said slot, whereby said arm is deflectable by said intravenous end of said needle when said needle enters said slot, means for guiding the needle into the slot, a hanger bar on said rearward end for connecting the shield and the needle assembly, means for guiding the user's fingers to move the shield into various positions and bar dents;
• (c) providing a collar for connecting the shield to the needle assembly comprising a hook arm whereby said hanger bar engages said hook arm and bar dents that cooperate with said bar dents on said needle shield;
• (d) attaching said collar to said hub of said needle assembly whereby said hook arm is on the same side as said bevel up of said intravenous needle and whereby said collar does not rotate around said hub;
• (e) placing said needle shield over said non-patient end of said needle;
• (f) connecting said shield to said collar whereby there is an interference fit between said hanger bar and said hook arm;
• (g) moving said shield to an open position;
• (h) placing said needle shield over said intravenous end of said needle;
• and
• (i) moving said shield into an intermediate position.