Stephen WeyelNortheastern

Univers i ty

HOW TO GIVE AN INTRAMUSCULAR

INJECTION

Shots of medicine given into a muscleCertain 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

INTRAMUSCULAR (IM) INJECTIONS

http://www.drugs.com/cg/how-to-give-an-intramuscular-injection.html

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

ADMINISTERING THE INJECTION

http://www.drugs.com/cg/how-to-give-an-intramuscular-injection.html

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

ADMINISTERING THE INJECTION (CONTINUED)

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 seeStandard for children below age 3, as it is their

largest muscle

VASTUS LATERALIS (THIGH MUSCLE)

http://www.drugs.com/cg/how-to-give-an-intramuscular-injection.html

http://jagged81.hubpages.com/hub/Vastus-Lateralis-Injection

Have patient in lateral recumbent position or supinePlace heel of hand on upper, outer part of thigh

where it meets the buttocksPoint thumb at groin and fingers towards patient’s

headForm “V” by separating fi rst finger from other three

fingers, inject into middle of “V” Utilized for adults and children older than 7 months

VENTROGLUTEAL (HIP MUSCLE)

http://www.drugs.com/cg/how-to-give-an-intramuscular-injection.htmlhttp://jagged81.hubpages.com/hub/Ventrogluteal-Injection

Have patient in lateral recumbent position or sittingPalpate 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 processSite should not be used if patient is very thin with

little muscle

DELTOID (UPPER ARM MUSCLE)

http://nursingfile.com/nursing-procedures/demo-video/deltoid-injection-site.html

Have patient in prone positionPalpate and locate posterior superior iliac spine, then

locate greater trochanter of femurVisualize 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

DORSOGLUTEAL (BUTTOCKS MUSCLE)

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

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

INFORM PATIENT

http://www.whatis-healthinsurance.com/individual-health-insurance/need-a-health-plan-for-2014.html

http://www.drugs.com/cg/how-to-give-an-intramuscular-injection.html

http://pcos.about.com/od/medication1/f/IMsite.htmhttp://www.dana-farber.org/Health-Library/Instructions-

for-intramuscular-injection.aspxhttp://nursingfi le.com/nursing-procedures/demo-video/

deltoid-injection-site.htmlhttp://jagged81.hubpages.com/hub/Vastus-Lateralis-

Injectionhttp://jagged81.hubpages.com/hub/Ventrogluteal-Injectionhttp://wps.prenhall.com/

chet_wilson_drugguides_1/0,5513,403564-,00.htmlhttp://www.whatis-healthinsurance.com/individual-health-

insurance/need-a-health-plan-for-2014.html

RESOURCES

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 offi ce 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.

REFLECTIVE LETTER