A catheter insertion device (18) includes a housing (12) with a base (14), a catheter (28), an introducer needle (30) and an actuator (26) mounted within the housing. The catheter (28) and needle (30) are coupled to the actuator (26) and movable between a first position where the catheter and needle are retracted within the housing and a second position where the catheter and needle extend from the housing, and where the needle retracts into the actuator when the catheter and needle reach the second position. The actuator (26) has a detent (84) that engages a first recess (76) to require a predetermined force to depress the actuator (26) which is greater than the force necessary to slide the actuator (26) to the second position where the detent (84) engages a second recess (80) in the housing (12) to hold the actuator in the deployed position.
