How An Intramuscular Injection Is Given?

IM Injection

Fear and unease at the thought of having to give someone an intramuscular injection (IM) is normal. So, this is written to remove whatever worry you may have; to let you know, as you get to know the steps well, that you can do it.

Level Of Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: Ten minutes

The Steps To Take:

1. Put together in one place everything you’ll need: your medication, syringe and needle (which can be 21g, maybe 22g, and the length 1 1/2″ ), band-aid , gauze, alcohol prep pad.
2. Have your hands washed.
3. Mix or prepare your medication, follow instructions and draw into your syringe the medication.
4. To the syringe, a new needle is attached.
5. The injection has to be given in the buttocks, with the medication injected into its muscle. So, you will have to get the persons receiving the medication to lie flat on their abdomen with their pants lowered a little to expose their buttocks.
6. If you were to have a buttock divided into quadrants, inject into the top, outer quadrant which is nearest to the hip.
7. Choose a site which does not have bumps or scars.
8. Use an alcohol pad to clean the chosen site. Allow the site to dry without fanning or blowing on the site to have it dry faster as we do not want bacteria to go onto it.
9. Using your fingers, tighten the skin by spreading it before inserting the needle all the way, straight downwards.
10. The plunger of the syringe is pulled back a little. If you do not notice any blood entering the syringe, just inject the medication in. However, if blood is seen entering the syringe, the needle has to be pulled out just a little bit before injecting the medication
11. Pull out the needle and then, throw it into a container for sharps. Sharps or medical waste should not be disposed of with the usual garbage.
12. A gauze ought to be used to remove any blood. Then, using a bandage, cover the site.
13. Your hands should be washed.
14. Use a cube of ice to numb the site before cleaning it.
15. Get the patients to make sure their buttocks are relaxed. Muscular tension can cause the injection to be more painful.
16. Massage the injected area to have the medication more easily absorbed.
17. After pulling up the plunger to get the medication drawn up, the needle should be changed. Injection is less painful if the needle is sharp.
18. The syringe ought to be held at the barrel. Do not hold the plunger. Before the needle is in the muscle, keep your finger away from the plunger to avoid accidentally injecting outside the muscle and wasting the medication.

IM Injection Sites For Intramuscular Injections -Video Guide

Tips:

What You Need

• Needle
• Syringe
• Gauze or band-aid
• Alcohol prep pad
• Medication for the injection.