Injections 💉 Flashcards
What are the 3 main types of injection?
- intramuscular
- subcutaneous
- intradermal
What 5 steps should be carried out before performing the injection?
- introduce yourself to patient
- check patient ID by asking their name and DOB
- explain the procedure and gain consent
- ask/assist patient to adjust clothing
- wash hands
What 2 things should be checked at the patient’s bedside?
- patient ID
2. characteristics of drug
When checking the drug at the patient’s bedside, what should be looked at?
- name of drug
- dose of drug
- route and time
- expiry date
- check for debris, cloudiness or discolouration
- date, time and signature of prescriber
What equipment is needed to perform an injection?
- kidney dish
- blunt drawing up needle or filter needle
- injection needles (orange, blue or green)
- syringe
- guaze swab
What are the 3 different types of injection needles?
- orange - 25G
- blue - 23G
- green - 21G
What type of gloves should be used for this procedure?
non-sterile gloves
What are the 2 different types of drawing up needles used for?
filter needles are used for glass vials
red-topped needles are used for plastic vials
What is the first stage in giving an injection?
attach the drawing up needle
hold the needle and the drug vial vertical at eye level to draw up the required amount of medication
What should be done with the drawing up needle after the medication has been withdrawn?
DO NOT RESHEATH the needle
remove the needle by hand and dispose of it in a sharps bin
What should the drawing up needle be replaced by?
a blue (23G) or green (21G) needle for a patient with more considerable subcutaneous tissue
What should be done after replacing the drawing up needle with an injection needle?
hold syringe vertically and expel air from the syringe
prime the needle ensuring the correct amount of drug is in the syringe
How should the skin be inspected before choosing an injection site?
check skin for integrity and cleanliness
observe for haematoma, hardened skin or a recent injection site
consider underlying structures and anatomy
How should the skin be cleaned before an injection?
socially clean skin does not require additional cleaning
Immediately before the injection, what should you tell the patient?
warn the patient that they will feel a sharp scratch
In an IM injection, how should you insert the needle?
- use thumb and forefinger to slightly stretch the skin
- insert needle at 90 degrees quickly to approximately 2/3 of needle length
this ensures the drug is delivered to the muscle layer
What should you do before injecting the medication into the patient?
aspirate
if blood is evident, remove the needle and repeat the procedure with clean equipment
If no blood is visible after aspiration, what should be done next?
slowly inject the drug
more viscous solutions will take longer to administer
After injecting the drug, what should be done to the needle and the patient?
remove the needle and apply safety cover
dispose of the needle in the sharps bin immediately
press on the puncture site with a gauze swab and observe for localised and systemic reaction
How should the procedure be concluded?
dispose of equipment in relevant clinical waste bin
ensure the patient is comfortable
wash hands and record procedure appropriately
Which needle should be used in subcutaneous injection?
orange (25G) needle
How does the process of subcutaneous injection differ to intramuscular?
use thumb and forefinger to pinch up the subcutaneous tissue
insert needle at 45 degree angle with the bevel up
do this swiftly until approximately 2/3 of the needle length
When should a subcutaneous injection be injected at 90 degrees?
if the injection is available in a pre-filled syringe, as the needles are shorter
e.g. heparin and insulin
