Medical device

Disclosed is a medical device (22) used with a syringe (12) or the like that includes a needle (10) protected by a guard (24). The needle (10) has a connector at one end opposite its tip which enables it to be connected to the syringe. The guard (24) is mounted on the needle (10) and is movable axially along the shaft (10b) of the needle (10) between a retracted position enabling the needle (10) to be inserted into a patient and a forward position covering the tip (10a) of the needle (10). The guard (24) is moved forward manually from the retracted to the forward position by the nurse after using the needle (10) to protect the nurse against accidental needle sticks. The forward manner in which the guard (24) is moved by the nurse eliminates the possibility of the nurse being accidentally stuck by the needle (10) when covering the tip (10a) with the guard (24), because the forward movement is along the needle shaft (10b) and not inwardly toward the needle tip (10a) as with conventional practice.