Guide to Injections (Grade A)

Summary:

This Guide to Injections describes various aspects of parenteral medication administration, including equipment used, such as syringes and needles, safety precautions to prevent infections and needlestick injuries, preparation of medications for injection, and techniques for administering injections intradermally, subcutaneously, and intramuscularly. It also covers specific considerations for administering insulin and heparin and techniques for reducing pain associated with injections. Unexpected situations such as needlestick injuries and patient refusals are also addressed.

Excerpt:

Guide to Injections

● Parenteral administration
○ Delivery of a med-injection into body tissues
○ Aseptic technique must be used to prevent infection
■ Sterile syringe and needle; sterile medication (vial, ampule)
■ Sterile technique (to some degree)
○ Specific syringes and needles are used depending on the medication, the route and the patient
○ Standard precautions

● Equipment
○ Syringes
■ Disposable, pre-filled
● The pharmaceutical company does this
■ Plastic
● Use in lab
■ Glass
● Very rare – less stable in plastic
■ Various sizes
● Total volume
● 1ml – 60ml
■ Measurement scale
● Calibration
■ Luer-lock tip
● Threaded, easy to screw something on (needle)
■ Slip tip
● Tip is smooth, easy to connect to
■ Parts of a syringe

….

○ Mixing meds in one syringe
■ Why?
● Less pain
■ How many meds can be mixed?
● Depends on compatibility and total volume of administration
■ What must be considered?
■ When mixing, does the order matter?
● Insulin!!!!
○ Clear then cloudy
● Multi-dose versus single-dose vials
○ Mixing meds from two vials
■ Before mixing meds…
● If meds are suspensions, then mix them first
● Inject air in vial A (do not touch fluid with a needle)
● Inject air in vial B and withdraw med (needle in fluid)
● Remove the needle, insert it into Vial A and withdraw med (needle in fluid)
● Rotate the syringe back and forth to mix meds in the syringe
○ Mixing meds from vial and ampule
■ Put a filter needle on the syringe
■ Prepare med from vial first
● Inject air into the vial
● Withdraw med from the vial
■ Break the ampule, insert a needle and withdraw med from an ampule
■ Filter needle should be used throughout