A shielding needle assembly is provided with a hub having a needle cannula with a puncture tip extending from a forward end thereof, and a shield member in telescoping association with the hub. A drive member biases the hub and the shield member away from each other for relative telescopic movement between a first position in which the puncture tip extends from a forward end of the shield member, and a second position in which the puncture tip is encompassed within the shield member. A pivoting lever maintains the hub and the shield member in the first position against the bias of the drive member. The lever is pivotable during contact with a patient's skin surface, thereby releasing the hub and the shield member from the first position and permitting the drive member to bias the hub and the shield member toward the second position.