How to give an injection correctly: intramuscularly in the buttock, inject yourself in the leg

How to give an intramuscular injection correctly?

you need to take two pieces of cotton wool and lubricate the injection site one by one;
then take the syringe in your right hand and stretch the skin at the injection site with your left hand (in children, the skin needs to be folded);
move the hand with the syringe 90 degrees to the surface and quickly insert the needle into the muscle ¾ (not all the way!);
With the thumb of your right hand, slowly press the piston, injecting the medicine. Using a two-part syringe (outdated design), you may not be able to inject with one hand. Therefore, it is better to press the piston with your left hand, and hold the syringe barrel with your right hand;
Use cotton wool soaked in alcohol to press the injection site and quickly remove the needle at an angle of 90 degrees, which will help reduce the risk of infection and stop bleeding;
The affected muscle can be massaged, allowing the medicine to be absorbed faster.

How to give yourself an intramuscular injection - safety rules:

the syringe and needle must not be reused under any circumstances;
The injection site should be alternated and injections should not be given to the same part of the body regularly;
imported syringes have sharper and thinner needles, so it is better to give preference to them.

How to give an injection (intramuscular injection), in detail

Like any other medical procedure, an injection (injection) requires a responsible approach and clear actions. If performed incorrectly, both minor and very serious consequences can occur for the person receiving the injection.

1. So, first of all, you should thoroughly wash your hands with any soap.
2. Prepare the necessary material: a syringe of the required dosage (usually 5 or 10 cubes), two needles (usually in a package with a syringe, why 2 - below), cotton wool, a small container with alcohol, disposable gloves, drug solvent, if required . 3. Now we check the integrity and suitability of all items. Damage to the needle can cause infection, difficult insertion with pain for the patient, or the fact that it simply remains inside the muscle, which threatens surgery with dissection. Violation of the integrity of the syringe leads to the expiration of the medicine and its desterilization. Remember this word, it will be needed later. Desterilization means the entry of harmful substances or microorganisms into an object when it comes into contact with other objects. For the same reason, ampoules must be intact. Be sure to check your gloves - this is your barrier when coming into contact with the skin or blood of a patient.

4. Check the expiration date of the syringe and medicine. We carefully read the name of the drug in order to enter what we are going to do. We put on gloves.

5. Now you should open the syringe. Attach the needle without removing the cap.

Turn your project into metal: https://kvalitet-63.ru/katalog/proizvodstvo-metalloconstrukciy 6a. If the medicine needs to be dissolved, then open the jar with the required liquid (keep in mind that most jars have two lids: the one that needs to be removed is thin and rubber, which should not be removed, but insert the needle directly through it), remove the cap from the needle, insert it into the container so that the needle is immersed in the solvent. Pull the piston to the desired dosage. Then use the body of the syringe to remove it from the jar. We put a cap on the needle. Now you need to open the ampoule. We grind a small layer at the mark located on the neck of the ampoule. Then, taking the cotton wool in your right hand, and the drug in your left hand (it is acceptable and vice versa, but undesirable), with a sharp movement away from you, we tear off the head of the ampoule, leaving its body in your left hand. Remove the cap from the syringe, inject a certain amount of solvent into the ampoule, and then remove the resulting solution back into the syringe. Remove the needle by putting the cap on it.

6b. If the medicine does not need to be dissolved, then after opening the ampoule, remove it with a syringe and remove the needle and cap. The second needle comes into contact with other objects and is not sterile. Such a needle can lead to inflammation with suppuration, which will require surgery with dissection to remove. Therefore, we will administer a different medicine.

7. Now attach another needle with a cap to the syringe. By pressing on the piston, we remove the air from the syringe, pointing it upward with the needle until the first drop appears on the needle. We ask the patient to lie on his stomach and lower the clothes to the desired level (to the lower edge of the buttocks)

8. Injection site - the outer upper side is determined as follows: at or above the line of the coccyx, the outer half of the gluteal muscle. If you inject into the inner part, you can damage the nerve; if you inject into the lower part, then the vessel.

9. It is necessary to wipe the injection site with a cotton swab moistened with alcohol in a circular motion.

10. Now we moisten another smaller piece of cotton wool, take it in the left hand, and in the right hand (and vice versa for left-handers) - a syringe, having first removed the needle. Do not touch anything with the needle, not even your fingers! Why is described above.

11. Pointwise, with a couple of strokes, wipe the immediate injection site, then with a sharp movement at an angle of 90 degrees, insert the syringe almost to the end of the needle (1-2 mm before, since the needle may fall off and remain inside the muscle. With disposable syringes, such cases almost one in a billion, but there will be no unnecessary caution). Important! Do not put this cotton wool anywhere after wiping, it will be sterilized. Hold it in your hands during the injection.

12. The syringe should be held very tightly so that the needle does not cause pain to the patient. To do this, the medicine can be injected with the left hand, pressing the piston with the thumb, and holding the protrusions of the syringe with the index and middle fingers, and for those who are injecting more than once, you can intercept the syringe with your left hand, and then inject the drug with your right. It is important that the syringe is not left unattended. When intercepting, hold first with your right hand, then with both, and only then with your left.

13. The medicine should be administered slowly, over at least 30 seconds. Drugs with a painful effect require administration of 3-5 minutes.

14. Having completed the injection, sharply remove the syringe, applying cotton wool to the injection site. We inform the patient that the cotton wool should be held for three to five minutes and allow him to get dressed and get up.

15. Place the cap on the syringe. Never throw away uncapped needles. The fact is that workers and all people who in one way or another have contact with landfills can stumble upon a needle and become infected with a severe infection, such as hepatitis.

16. Then we remove the plunger from the syringe and throw away all disposable items, including gloves. Wash your hands.

If you are injecting yourself for the first time, follow the instructions strictly. Don't be nervous or worried under any circumstances. It is difficult until you try it boldly. The operation is simple, almost not dangerous, the main thing is to remember everything well or have a plan with you. Insert the syringe boldly and confidently, then it will be easier for both you and the patient.

With frequent or incorrect intramuscular injections (rapid administration of a drug, for example), an infiltrate, the so-called lump, can form. An injection into such a place is very difficult and painful for the patient. To avoid this situation, you can alternate the buttocks, each injection being carried out half a centimeter from the previous one.

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How to give an injection in the buttock correctly

How to inject yourself?

How to give an injection to someone close to you is described above, but how to inject yourself? One of the biggest challenges faced is how to choose the right injection site.

How to give an injection in the buttock while standing? To determine the upper outer square of the buttock, it is better to practice in front of a mirror, and then proceed according to the instructions described above. The position of the body during the injection in this case can be either lying down or standing in front of a mirror in a half-turn.

How to properly give an injection in the buttock?

Divide the buttock into 4 parts. First, divide the buttock in half from top to bottom, and then in half from side to side. If you are worried that you will do it wrong, draw a vertical and then a horizontal line on your buttock. Circle the injection site.
The upper outer quarter is where the injection can be given to avoid damaging the sciatic nerve. You should feel a curved bone in this quarter. The injection will be in this quarter below the curved bone.
Before giving the injection, complete all the preparatory steps described above.
Treat the desired area with alcohol and tighten the skin tightly.
Hold the syringe like a dart. Insert the needle at a right angle (90°) to the skin.
Carefully insert the needle so as not to break it: not completely, 0.5–1 cm of the needle should remain outside.
After administering the medicine, apply cotton wool soaked in alcohol to the injection site. As soon as you remove the needle, quickly press the injection site with cotton wool.
Throw away used products and wash your hands.

Having learned how to properly inject in the buttock, it can still be scary to inject yourself in the buttock. In this case, you can always call a professional nurse to your home or go to the nearest clinic.

Execution algorithm

Any medical procedure does not tolerate deviations from the instructions, including an injection in the shoulder. It is important to maintain sterility and sequence of vaccination. What you will need for the injection:

Three-component injection disposable syringe with a volume of up to 5 ml, needle length 50–70 mm, inner needle diameter 1–15 mm;
Drug solution, nail file for safe opening of ampoules;
Sterile cotton wool or special wipes for disinfection;
70% solution of medical alcohol;
Latex gloves;
Containers for disposal of medical instruments and consumables.

How to properly inject in the thigh

The injection can also be given in the leg. But how to give an injection in the leg correctly? In this case, the safest place is considered to be the front surface of the thigh (its middle part).

Injections in the leg - how to properly give an injection in the thigh?

Determine the place that is most favorable for the injection: you need to place your palm on your thigh so that your fingertips barely touch the knee. The ideal place for the injection in this case is the base of the palm (“center” of the thigh).
Carefully inspect the area of the leg to avoid injecting into large blood vessels.
Before giving the injection, complete all the preparatory steps described above.
Sit in a chair and relax your leg before the injection. Treat the desired area with alcohol and tighten the skin tightly.
If you have trouble hitting the right spot, form a small fold of fat (not muscle!) on your thigh and shoot into it.
Hold the syringe like a dart. Insert the needle at a right angle (90°) to the skin.
Carefully insert the needle so as not to break it: not completely, 0.5–1 cm of the needle should remain outside.
Make sure you don't hit a blood vessel with the needle. If there is blood in the syringe, remove the needle and do not inject the medicine. It may end up in the bloodstream rather than in the muscles. Take a new syringe and inject in a different location.
After administering the medicine, apply cotton wool soaked in alcohol to the injection site. As soon as you remove the needle, quickly press the injection site with cotton wool.
Throw away used products and wash your hands.

Is it possible to get injections in the leg? Injections cannot be given in the leg below the buttock from behind.

Place of vaccination

It would seem, why not do all intramuscular vaccinations in the shoulder, if it is so convenient? There are a number of reasons that may prevent you from injecting into this place:

Undeveloped muscles - if the patient has dystrophy or is simply poorly developed physically, it can be quite difficult to hit the deltoid muscle. In this case, it is better to vaccinate in the gluteal muscle or thigh;
Inexperience of the person performing the procedure - a carelessly performed injection can lead to damage to the brachial or ulnar nerve or brachial artery. If the vaccinator is not confident in his accuracy, it is better to choose another place.
Injection performed independently - correctly injecting into the shoulder without assistance is much more difficult than in the thigh. If there is no assistant, it is better to avoid this method.
Extensive damage to the skin in the deltoid muscle area - this includes burns, birthmarks, large scars, and so on. For injection, it is better to choose the cleanest place on the skin.

If vaccination in the shoulder is possible, the first step is to decide on the injection site. An intramuscular injection is made strictly into the outer surface of the shoulder. It’s easy to find a suitable place for grafting: measure four fingers from the top of the shoulder joint and mark the center of the area. Another way: visually divide the arm from the elbow to the shoulder joint into three identical horizontal lines. The center of the middle region will also be the most suitable place for vaccination. The area is selected in such a way that anatomical differences between people or a small error will not result in hitting a nerve or artery. The injection site can also be seen in the image below.

How to give an injection in the arm correctly

The deltoid muscle is the most commonly used site for vaccines. However, this site is not a common place for self-injection, since its small muscle mass limits the volume of injected medication - no more than 1 milliliter. We'll tell you more about how to inject yourself in the shoulder.

How to give yourself an injection in the shoulder?

Feel for the bone at the top of your shoulder (the acromion process), where your arm meets your shoulder. This is the top side of an inverted triangle.
Move your hand about 10 cm down the outside of your shoulder. The bottom point of the triangle is here, approximately at the level of your armpit.
The safe injection site is in the center of this triangle. This is about 5cm below the bone at the top of the shoulder.
Before giving the injection, complete all the preparatory steps described above.
How to give an injection yourself? Treat the desired area with alcohol and tighten the skin tightly.
Hold the syringe like a dart. Insert the needle at a right angle (90°) to the skin.
Carefully insert the needle so as not to break it: not completely, 0.5–1 cm of the needle should remain outside.
Make sure you don't hit a blood vessel with the needle. If there is blood in the syringe, remove the needle and do not inject the medicine. It may end up in the bloodstream rather than in the muscles. Take a new syringe and inject in a different location.
After administering the medicine, apply cotton wool soaked in alcohol to the injection site. As soon as you remove the needle, quickly press the injection site with cotton wool.
Throw away used products and wash your hands.

Help: You can make an appointment with a therapist on the website.

How to avoid complications from subcutaneous injections

Local reactions, such as slight swelling and redness, usually go away on their own within an hour. It is worth paying close attention to complications that do not go away for a long time.

Possible complications, their prevention and treatment [5-6]:

Induration at the injection site - infiltration - is a common complication with subcutaneous injections. Often accompanied by redness and swelling of the skin, pain. It may not resolve for a long time or, if the course is unfavorable, develop into an abscess or phlegmon. Prevention: alternating zones, observing aseptic rules, slow administration of the drug. When choosing an injection site, you should avoid areas where induration or swelling has already appeared. Your doctor will tell you how to treat such formations. Abscess and phlegmon are eliminated surgically.
Infectious contamination of the injection site - discharge of pus, soreness, redness, increased local temperature - can occur if the rules of asepsis are not followed. It is necessary to urgently consult a doctor .
Lipodystrophy (depletion) of subcutaneous fat can occur if injections are given in the same place. That's why it's so important to alternate zones. Another possible cause is that the injection solution is too cold.
Fainting - to avoid loss of consciousness, do not perform the procedure while standing.
An allergy to the drug can manifest itself as rashes, swelling, itching, and increased body temperature. If you have an allergic reaction to the drug, you should consult your doctor.
Mechanical damage nearby tissues is possible due to the wrong choice of injection site or technique. Areas where large vessels and nerve trunks lie should be avoided. First measures:
if it hits the periosteum, without changing the angle of the needle, pull it back;
in order not to inject the drug into the muscle, be sure to inject into a fold of skin, especially for patients with low weight;
if the needle touches the nerve ending, local numbness and loss of sensitivity will appear, a lump, inflammation or swelling may occur. Be sure to consult a doctor if you experience shooting pain or decreased functionality;
If the needle gets into the skin and breaks off, remove the fragment with tweezers. A needle that has completely sunk into the tissue must be fixed, clamping the place where it entered on both sides, and contact a surgeon.

If you adhere to the technique, the risk of complications is reduced. Asepsis, alternating zones and correct position of the syringe prevents many of them.

Important Details

In addition to step-by-step instructions, you need to know the important features of the procedure in order to make injections easier and more painless. The very first thing to remember is the need to warm the drug to human body temperature or at least room temperature. The administration of cold medicine provides extremely unpleasant sensations and promotes aseptic inflammation (a sensitive swelling appears at the injection site), which takes up to 2 weeks. This rule includes the need to relax the muscles - tension only increases pain and makes it difficult for the needle to penetrate.