Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: How to get an injection
• Part 2 of 2: What is an intramuscular injection
• Tips

Knowing how to give an injection is useful if you or a member of your family have a medical condition that requires intramuscular medication. The decision to use intramuscular injections should be made by your doctor.The nurse will explain how to give you the shots. You will also find out about this by reading this article.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: How to get an injection

1. 1 Wash your hands before starting the procedure. It is necessary to observe hygiene so as not to inject an infection with an injection.
2. 2 Reassure the patient by telling him / her about the procedure. Tell him / her about the injection site, and if this is the first injection, describe the possible sensations. Although in most cases the injections are almost painless, injections of some drugs can cause pain or burning, and it is better to inform about this in advance to save the patient from unpleasant surprises.
3. 3 Disinfect the injection site with alcohol. Before injecting, it is necessary to cleanse and sterilize the skin at and around the injection site. This will minimize the risk of infection.
   • Wait for the alcohol to dry. Do not touch the cleansed skin area until you have given the injection, otherwise you will have to disinfect it again.
4. 4 Ask the patient to relax. If the muscles at the injection site are tense, the injection will be more painful, so you need to completely relax.
   • Sometimes it can be helpful to distract the patient before giving the injection by asking him / her about something else. Having distracted from thoughts about the upcoming injection, the patient will be able to more fully relax.
   • Some people prefer not to see how they are being injected. The sight of the needle approaching the skin can make the patient anxious and afraid of pain, leading to muscle tension. To avoid this, invite the patient to look away.
5. 5 Insert the needle of the syringe into the designated spot under the skin. After removing the protective cap from the needle, quickly, but without sudden movements, insert the needle at a 90-degree angle to the skin. The faster you insert the needle, the less pain you will cause to the patient. However, if you have little experience, be careful not to overshoot, insert the needle too deeply, or damage the skin more than necessary.
   • If you have never given injections before, be careful, but remember that the sooner you insert the syringe, the better for the patient.
   • Before the injection, it is useful to pull the skin around the injection site with the other, free hand. Firstly, this way you will see the intended place better, and secondly, the patient will feel the injection itself less clearly.
6. 6 Pull back the syringe plunger slightly before injecting. After inserting the needle under the skin and before starting to inject the drug, pull back the syringe plunger slightly. Although it may seem a little strange, this way, if blood gets into the syringe, you will know that it has entered a blood vessel, not a muscle.
   • Since the drug is intended for intramuscular and not intravenous injection, if you see the liquid in the syringe turn red, pull out the needle and try to inject elsewhere.
   • If you notice blood in the syringe, there is nothing to worry about, because you have not started injecting the drug yet. Just pull out the needle and try to inject elsewhere.
   • Typically, the needle hits the muscle tissue. Only in rare cases does it enter a blood vessel. However, it is best to make sure that you are targeting the muscle before injecting the drug.
7. 7 Inject the medicine slowly. While the needle should be inserted as quickly as possible to reduce pain, the injection itself should be done slowly for the same reason. This is due to the fact that when administered orally, the drug stretches the muscle tissue, and it takes time for it to painlessly accommodate all the liquid. By slowly injecting the drug, you allow the muscle tissue to adapt to this, thereby reducing possible painful sensations.
8. 8 Pull the needle out at the same angle as you inserted it. Do this after making sure you have completely injected the drug.
   • Press the injection site lightly with a cotton swab (for example, a 5x5 cm swab will work). After the injection, the patient may experience some discomfort, but this is quite normal.
9. 9 Dispose of the used syringe. Do not throw the syringe into your regular rubbish bin. You may have a hard plastic container nearby that is specially designed for used syringes and needles. You can also use an empty plastic bottle with a screw cap. When doing this, make sure that the syringe fits freely into the bottle so that the needle will not pierce the bottom or sides of the bottle.
   • Ask your healthcare professional or pharmacist about the disposal of used syringes.

Part 2 of 2: What is an intramuscular injection

1. 1 Familiarize yourself with the syringe device. You will be able to give the injection much easier if you have a good idea of ​​what exactly you are doing.
   • The syringe has three main parts: a needle, a barrel and a plunger. You insert the needle into the muscle, piercing the skin; the cylinder has marks in cm (cubic centimeters) or ml (milliliters), near which the corresponding volume of liquid is indicated; the piston serves to draw the medicine into and out of the cylinder.
   • Intramuscularly administered drugs are measured in cubic centimeters or milliliters. One cubic centimeter contains the same amount of liquid as one milliliter.
2. 2 Know where to inject. There are a number of places on the human body that are most suitable for intramuscular injections.
   • Lateral broad muscle of the thigh... Divide your thigh into three equal parts mentally. Injections are given in the middle. The thigh is easy to reach, so it is convenient to inject yourself / yourself into it. It is also good to give injections to children under three years old in this place.
   • Ventro-gluteal region (side of the pelvis). To find the correct location for this point, place the base of your hand on your outer thigh where it meets your buttocks. Point your thumb towards the groin and the rest of your fingers towards the patient's head. Fold your fingers in a “V” shape, separating your index finger from your other three fingers. With the tips of your pinky and ring fingers, you can feel the edge of the bone. The injection site is in the middle of the V-shape. The side of the pelvis is a good injection site for adults and children over 7 months of age.
   • Deltoid (shoulder). Free your shoulder from clothing completely. Feel for the bone at the top of your shoulder. This bone is called the acromion bone. Its lower part forms the base of the triangle. The tip of this triangle is located under the center of the base, approximately at the same level as the armpit. The correct injection site is in the center of the triangle 2.5 to 5 cm below the acromial process. This site should not be used if the person is very thin or the muscle is very thin.
   • Gluteus muscle... Free one side of your buttocks from your clothing. With cotton wool soaked in alcohol, draw a line from the upper edge of the gap between the buttocks to the side of the body. Find the middle of this line and rise 7-8 centimeters up. From here, draw another line down across the first line, ending about halfway down the buttock. You should have a cross. In the upper right square, you will feel a curved bone. The injection should be done in the upper right square below this curved bone. Do not give injections to this place to children under 3 years of age, as these muscles are not sufficiently developed in them.
3. 3 Study the person you are giving the injection to. Each person has a place that is most suitable for the injection. Before giving the injection, consider the following:
   • The age of the person. For children under 2 years old, the thigh muscle is the best place. For children over 3 years old, two options are suitable: the thigh and the deltoid muscle. Use needles with a diameter of 0.5 - 0.7 mm.
     • Note: Very young children need small needles. The injection in the thigh can be done with a larger needle than in the shoulder.
   • Find out where the previous injections were given. If the person has recently received an injection in one area, give the injection elsewhere.This will help prevent scarring and bruising.

Tips

• It takes time to get used to giving injections. You will feel insecure at first. Remember that skill comes with practice, and over time, giving an injection will not be difficult for you.
• Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you how to properly dispose of used needles and syringes. This is necessary for security reasons. Do not throw away syringes and needles in the same way as you do with regular waste, as this can be dangerous to others.