Administering Intramuscular Injections

     

Equipment:

Needles: Commonly range in size from 27 gauge to 16 gauge (how big around the needle is) and from 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches long.
  • Selecting the gauge is based on how thick the medication is and the injection site (eg. muscle versus subcutaneous tissue).
  • The needle length is where you want to be able to deliver the medication
  • The bevel of the needle depends on where the medication is to be given
Syringes: Syringes vary in size from 1 ml to 60 ml.
Selecting the size depends on the amount of fluid to be used and the medication to be given.

Selecting the size depends on the amount of fluid to be used and the medication to be given.
Syringes may be for a specific medication, such as an insulin syringe:
 The tip of the syringe may be:
  • Leur lock: screws onto the needle hub
  • Regular: fits into the needle hub
Safety syringes provide greater protection against needle stick injuries and come in many different forms:

Drawing up Solutions:

Syringes may come prefilled with a medication or you may have to draw the medication from a vial or ampule.

Withdrawing from an ampule:

  • Cleanse neck of ampule
  • Cover neck of ampule with a 2x2 gauze
  • Snap neck of ampule opening away from your face
  • Withdraw all of medication from ampule using a filter needle
  • Change needle, then measure ordered dose of medication

Withdrawing from a vial

  • Cleanse top of vial
  • Draw air into syringe equal to ordered medication dose (optional)
  • Insert needle or vial access pin into vial
  • Inject air into air
  • Withdraw correct dose of medication

Administering the medication

Angle of Administration for IM injections is 90 degrees to the surface of the skin: