Hi Jody,
Most patients with ports get them to receive blood transfusions, Desferal, chemo etc in the port. Of cause the nurses can draw blood from the port too.
The port is a small device (often made of titanium) that is inplanted under the skin under the clavicula with a line to a big vein. The nurses can put a needle through the skin into membrane on the port. This needle can stay there for some days if you are getting a drug for example Desferal for iron overload, antibiotics or some kind of chemo during several days. In Sweden the needle has to be changed every 4th day.
http://www.bardaccess.com/port-powerport.php
This info is perhaps an advertisment but since Steve mentioned PowerPort I found this info.
Kind regards
Birgitta-A
Port-a-cath inplanted Jan 2007 for txs and Desferal. Used for antibiotics during neutropenic fever too. Never any problems with my port yet (knock on wood).