How to administer subcutaneous and intramuscular injections

Nursing, Jan 2002 by Pope, Barbara B

Use those techniques to make sure as drug or vaccine gets where it belongs.

Before the injection

Do the following before you administer any subcutaneous or intramuscular injection:

* Wash your hands.

* Prepare the site with alcohol and let it air dry

* Put on clean gloves.

Giving a subcutaneous injection

1. Pinch up the subcutaneous tissue to prevent injecting into the muscle. Holding the syringe as if it were a dart, insert the needle at a 45 to 90 angle (depending on the amount of subcutaneous tissue) into the skin with a quick thrust so the hub almost touches the skin.

2. Release the pinched skin to avoid injecting the medication into compressed tissue.

3. Unless you're injecting heparin or insulin, pull back slightly on the plunger to make sure the needle hasn't entered a vein. If you see blood, remove and discard the needle and start over at a new site. If you don't see blood, slowly inject the medication.

4. Quickly remove the needle, cover the injection site with an alcohol pad, and apply gentle pressure. Unless contraindicated (as for a heparin or insulin injection), gently massage the site to help distribute the medication.

After tire injection

* If you need to give multiple injections in the same location, rotate to a site as far as possible-at least 1 inch-from the previous site.

* Document the location of the injection, the medication, the time you administered it, and the patient's response. 0

SELECTED REFERENCES

Minnesota Department of Health: "How to Administer IM (Intramuscular) and SQ (Subcutaneous) Injections," http://www.heaith.state.mn.us/divs/dpc/adps/newsltr/admim.pdf

along, D.: Whaley & Wong's Essentials of Pediatric Nursing, Sth edition. St. Louis, Mo., Mosby, 1997.