Intramuscular Injection Flashcards
What can be injected IM?
Vaccines e.g. Hep B
Antibiotics
What are the recommended sites for IM injections?
Side of Thigh - Vastus Lateralis muscle [5ml mac]
Deltoid [1ml max]
What is it important to explain to the patient?
- Why they need the injection
- How it’ll be done
- Complications
What are the potential complications of IM injections?
Nerve injury Bleeding (hitting a blood vessel) If they have impaired coagulation (e.g. haemophilia or warfarin) they need deep SC injection instead Abscess/infection Cellulutis GRanuloma Muscle fibrosis Injury to bone
What equipment do you need?
Gloves Meds Syringe Needles Alcohol Swab Dilutent if necessary
When do you do hand hygeiene and gloves?
As soon as youve gathered what you need
Procedure for IM injection:
1) Explanation & consent
2) Choose an appropriate region
3) Check correct prescription (patients weight, allergies, lab results etc)
4) Gather equipment
5) Perform hand hygiene & apply gloves
6) Disinfect top of vial
7) Attach needle and syringe
8) Draw up as much air as meds youll need
9) Injectair into vial
10) invert vial and withdraw medication
11) Change needle
12) Clear air from syringe
13) Take all equipment to patient
14) repeat identifying patient, explanation and consent
15) Repeat hand hygiene and gloves
16) Disinfect for 30 second and let dry for 30 seconds
17) Stretch skin with index/thumb
18) stab hard and fast up to needle hub
19) Stabilize with stretching hand
20) Aspirate for 5-10 seconds
21) Inject ~1ml per 10 seconds
22) Wait 10 seconds
23) REmove needle
24) Dispose of needle/synringe into sharps
25) Clean up, remove gloves and perform hand hygiene
HOw do you prepare for the injection?
Perform hand hygiene and gloves Disinfect vial top Inject air equal to medication into vial Then invert vial and draw out medication Change the needle and clear air from the syringe
Then take all the stuff to the patient, repeat confirmation, explanation and consent then redo hand hygiene and gloves
How do you perform the injection itself?
Re-do hand hygiene and Gloves
check no air in syringe
Stretch skin with left index and thumb
“Stab & Grab” Stab fast with right hand and stabilize with left
Aspirate 5-10secs to check for blood
Inject at 1ml/10s
Wait 10 seconds
Remove needle & put it/syringe in sharps bin
Clean area, remove gloves and perform hand hygiene
