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An arterial (ART) line is a hollow plastic tube (much like an IV catheter). A doctor places the line in the patient’s wrist, elbow, or groin. In newborns it may be placed in the bell button area of the abdomen. An ART line is attached to a monitor. It allows the nurses and doctors to observe the patient’s blood pressure continuously. The nurses will be able to draw most blood for lab tests from the ART line -- this means the patient will not need to be stuck with a needle repeatedly. Because it is in an artery, the ART line can be used to draw blood for blood gas (ABG) monitoring, such as oxygen and CO2 levels.