THERE IS DISCLOSED A CATHETER ASSEMBLY (44) INCLUDING: A CATHETER HUB (14) INCLUDING A HOUSING HAVING AN EXTERIOR SURFACE (20) AND AN INTERIOR SURFACE DEFINING A CAVITY (24)； A CATHETER TUBE (12) ATTACHED TO THE CATHETER HUB (14) AND EXTENDING DISTALLY OF THE CATHETER HUB (14)； A NEEDLE HUB (18)； A NEEDLE (16) HAVING A NEEDLE TIP (72) AND BEING ATTACHED TO THE NEEDLE HUB (18) AND PROJECTING DISTALLY OF THE NEEDLE HUB (18) AND INTO THE CATHETER TUBE (12)； A VALVE (46) FOR LIMITING BLOOD BACKFLOW POSITIONED IN THE INTERIOR CAVITY OF THE CATHETER HUB (14)； A VALVE OPENER (48) FOR OPENING THE VALVE (46) POSITIONED PROXIMALLY OF THE VALVE (46)； AND A DEVICE FOR COVERING THE NEEDLE (16), COMPRISING: A TIP PROTECTOR HOUSING； AND AN ARM EXTENDING FROM THE TIP PROTECTOR HOUSING TO ENGAGE THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE CATHETER HUB (14) AND RETAIN THE TIP PROTECTOR HOUSING IN A READY TO USE POSITION. FIG. 3
