A needle assembly (30) is disclosed. The needle assembly includes a housing having a flash chamber (38), and having a distal end (40) and a proximal end (42) engageable with a specimen collection container. The assembly includes a cannula (34) having a patient end, a non-patient end, and a sidewall (48) extending therebetween defining a cannula interior (50). The patient end of the cannula projects at least partially from the distal end (74) of the housing, and the cannula interior is in fluid communication with the flash - chamber. The assembly further includes a shield (36) restrainably engaged with a portion of the housing and axially transitionable over the patient cannula from a retracted position in which the patient end is exposed, to an extended position in which the patient end is shielded by at least a portion of the shield, wherein at least a portion of the flash chamber is visible in the retracted position.
