Transcript Document
HOW TO GIVE AN
INTRAMUSCULAR
INJECTION
Stephen Weyel
Northeastern
University
INTRAMUSCULAR (IM) INJECTIONS
Shots of medicine given into a muscle
Certain medicines need to be injected into muscle for them to
work properly
Injecting vaccines into subcutaneous fat can cause vaccine
failure due to poor vascularity of fat, thus slow mobilization of
antigen
Often administered into thigh, hip, upper arm, or buttocks
http://www.drugs.com/cg/how-to-give-an-intramuscular-injection.html
ADMINISTERING THE INJECTION
Prep area by wiping it with an alcohol wipe and letting it dry
Hold syringe in dominant hand between thumb and index
finger, letting the barrel rest on your second finger
With free hand, gently pull skin in area so it is slightly tight
Hold syringe tightly and use wrist to inject needle at a 90
degree angle through skin into muscle
http://www.drugs.com/cg/how-to-give-an-intramuscular-injection.html
ADMINISTERING THE INJECTION
(CONTINUED)
Once the needle is fully inserted, release skin and secure
syringe with both hands
Pull back on plunger slightly to ensure blood vessels weren’t
punctured during injection
If blood comes back into barrel, remove the needle
immediately and do not inject the medicine
If no blood comes back into syringe, push down on plunger to
inject medicine
Pushing slowly on plunger will reduce amount of pain
experienced by patient
Once medicine is fully injected, remove needle at 90 degree
angle and dispense in sharps bin
VASTUS LATERALIS (THIGH MUSCLE)
Have patient in lateral recumbent position, supine, or sitting
Divide thigh into 3 equal parts
Shot is given into outer middle third
Advantages: large muscle, easy to see
Standard for children below age 3, as it is their largest muscle
http://www.drugs.com/cg/how-to-give-an-intramuscular-injection.html
http://jagged81.hubpages.com/hub/Vastus-Lateralis-Injection
VENTROGLUTEAL (HIP MUSCLE)
Have patient in lateral recumbent position or supine
Place heel of hand on upper, outer part of thigh where it
meets the buttocks
Point thumb at groin and fingers towards patient’s head
Form “V” by separating first finger from other three fingers,
inject into middle of “V”
Utilized for adults and children older than 7 months
http://jagged81.hubpages.com/hub/Ventrogluteal-Injection
http://www.drugs.com/cg/how-to-give-an-intramuscular-injection.html
DELTOID (UPPER ARM MUSCLE)
Have patient in lateral recumbent position or sitting
Palpate and locate bone on top of upper arm (acromion
process)
Between bottom of acromion process and armpit level is
injection site, 1 to 2 inches below acromion process
Site should not be used if patient is very thin with little
muscle
http://nursingfile.com/nursing-procedures/demo-video/deltoid-injection-site.html
DORSOGLUTEAL (BUTTOCKS MUSCLE)
Have patient in prone position
Palpate and locate posterior superior iliac spine, then locate
greater trochanter of femur
Visualize diagonal line between these two locations, injection
site is above center of line (upper, outer quadrant of
buttocks), but below iliac crest
Extreme caution should be used with this site, as the sciatic
nerve and superior gluteal artery are in this area
http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_wilson_drugguides_1/0,5513,403564-,00.html
http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_wilson_drugguides_1/0,5513,403564-,00.html
INFORM PATIENT
Tell patient to contact physician if:
Fever, coughing, or general symptoms of illness develop after
injection
Swelling or bruising develops at injection site
Seek immediate care if:
Rash develops at injection site
Experience shortness of breath
Mouth or face swelling occurs
http://www.whatis-healthinsurance.com/individual-healthinsurance/need-a-health-plan-for-2014.html
RESOURCES
http://www.drugs.com/cg/how -to-give-an-intramuscularinjection.html
http://pcos.about.com/od/medication1/f/IMsite.htm
http://www.dana-farber.org/Health-Library/Instructions-forintramuscular-injection.aspx
http://nursingfile.com/nursing -procedures/demovideo/deltoid-injection-site.html
http://jagged81 .hubpages.com/hub/Vastus -Lateralis-Injection
http://jagged81 .hubpages.com/hub/Ventrogluteal -Injection
http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_wilson_drugguides_1/0,5513,4
03564-,00.html
http://www.whatis-healthinsurance.com/individual -healthinsurance/need-a-health-plan-for-2014.html
REFLECTIVE LETTER
I decided to make a PowerPoint describing the general procedure of
intramuscular injections and the various sites that can be utilized for them. I made
use of medical terminologies as well as concise language to guarantee the
document had a professional and educational tone. The audience would be other
healthcare professionals or physician assistants that would partake in
administering injections for patients. The audience would need a clear description
and demonstration of the process through the use of straightforward language and
visuals, as proper technique while giving shots is an important aspect of ensuring
the patient’s comfort during treatment. Accuracy and precision need to be the focal
point, as injections can be in areas of the body where mistakes would cause the
patient pain, or even serious injury, if given in the wrong location. The document
best suits these needs because it is very straight forward and informative, and
makes use of pictures that depict the correct locations and procedures for
injections. Readers would encounter this document in the doctor’s office or in a
database if they were searching for instructions on how to perform intramuscular
injections. The reader would encounter medical terminologies in the document, so
they would have to be educated in medicine to understand its text. This piece would
be suitable for my professional portfolio, as it demonstrates my knowledge of
medicine and ability to incorporate professional language into an educational
document.