How to Give Medications through Injections
Medications can be administered by injections in any of the following methods: intramuscularly (IM)into the muscles, Subcutaneously into fatty tissue or intradermaly into the skin. Each method requires specific tehniques to properly administer the medication and prevent injury.
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Instructions
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Prepare the medication. Wash your hands, put on gloves and wipe the injection area with alcohol swabs. Wait a few seconds for the area to air dry.
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2
Pull the skin area taut for intradermal injections and place the needle in a 10 to 15 degree angle. Insert the needle into the skin and do not aspirate. Inject the medication slowly into the skin and observe the injection area for the formation of a bleb or wheal.
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3
Grasp some skin in an upward motion for subscutaneous injections. Hold the syringe like a dart at a 45 or 90 degree angle and insert the needle. Release the skin and aspirate to check for blood return. If there is blood in the syringe, stop the process and start over. If there is no blood inject the medication slowly. If the medication is insulin or heparin, do not aspirate. Rotate injection sites to reduce tissue damage.
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Spread the skin taut for an intramuscular injection. Hold the syringe like a dart at a 90 degree angle and insert it in a quick darting motion. Aspirate to check for blood return and in the absence of any blood in the syringe, inject the medication slowly. If there is blood, stop and start over.
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Withdraw the needle after injecting all the medication. Discard the needle in the sharps container.
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