Nurses Helping Nurses
allnurses Network: Central | Jobs | Books | Newsletter
allnurses: A Nursing Community for Nurses
Home General News Blogs Articles Students Region Specialty Degrees F.A.Q.
Ambulatory Care Nursing /

Seeking tips on how to give painless intradermal injections



Did You Know?
allnurses is the largest community for nurses on the web. We now have over 385,911 members! Join today to network with other nurses, laugh, share, and much more.

May 03, 2009 10:31 PM

Seeking tips on how to give painless intradermal injections

by iwanna

I have a new job at allergist's office, and I will be the only nurse. I am afraid that I am not very good at the intradermal injections. I have not done very many of them before this job. I have done a few TB tests at a previous job. I have no problem getting the wheal, but I am afraid that I am hurting the patient, once I inject the allergen. I practiced at home, one injection on my daughter and one on my son. They were both fine with the wheals, however, once I injected the saline, they said that it burned. What am I doing wrong? Being on the receiving end of tb injections, I have had some that burned, one that actually was sq, and I have had a few that were absolutely painless. Please, if anyone can offer suggestions on giving a painless ID injection. I have given many SQ and IM's with no problems, but I can't get the hang of ID's. And, I have to do many of them for the allergy testing. I just don't want to hurt anyone. There are too many injections for one patient. I even tried the injection on myself, and it really burns once I inject the saline. I let the alcohol dry, too. I have done about 4 tests. Actually I think my first two tests were better injection techniques. At least, my pts. said that they didn't hurt too bad.


Share: Submit Thread to Facebook Submit Thread to Twitter Submit Thread to Technorati Submit Thread to Google Submit Thread to Reddit

Search Tags
None
Top

 
Advertisement
Sponsored Links
 
Reply
6 Comments
No. 1
from CarrieH
Old May 24, 2009, 12:26 PM

Default Re: Seeking tips on how to give painless intradermal injections
Keep in mind that a lot depends on the pH ect. of what you are injecting. Some things burn no matter what you do. Make sure you're not pushing the plunger too fast.

It takes some practice to inject and talk at the same time, but the best way I've found to minimize pain during any injection is distraction. The more they focus on the needle, the more it will hurt.
Top
 
No. 2
from truern
Old May 24, 2009, 01:11 PM

Default Re: Seeking tips on how to give painless intradermal injections
I just had a TB test at work and it was absolutely painless! I noticed that she went very slow and with a lot of traction when inserting the needle, then injected very slowly as well.
Top

1 Reader Gave Kudos
 
No. 3
from annaedRN
Old Jun 08, 2009, 06:35 PM

Default Re: Seeking tips on how to give painless intradermal injections
What happened when you got the intradermal in the subcu tissue? Any adverse effects? Did you have any reaction or did they have to redo the test? Just peaked my curiousity!
Top
 
No. 4
from Katnip
Old Jun 11, 2009, 09:42 AM

Default Re: Seeking tips on how to give painless intradermal injections
I don't have any tips, but I wish the nurse who gave my allegy shots would find out. They hurt. I get one in each arm. When I was a lot younger I got them for a short time, but they never hurt at all. This time they do. I'm thinking of taking my serum and going elsewhere because normally I'm not a wimp. Tetanus shots don't bother me, but these do.
Top
 
No. 5
from CarrieH
Old Jun 17, 2009, 09:05 PM

Default Re: Seeking tips on how to give painless intradermal injections
I used to give allergy shots to a patient who said I hurt less than the allergy office. I always changed the needles after drawing them up, she said she never saw them change the needles. Don't know if that or my technique that made the difference.
Top
 
No. 6
from loricatus
Old Jun 17, 2009, 09:55 PM

Default Re: Seeking tips on how to give painless intradermal injections
Changing the needle (as the poster above me mentioned) & rubbing the site fast and hard with an alcohol pad (to overload the nerve endings with stimuli) help reduce pain.
Top
 
Reply




Thread Tools


Who's Online
462 members
4,634 guests
5,096

3

Nurse Practitioner listed with the fallen at Fort Hood

9

Hospital bill stuns slain student’s parents: $ 30,000 for 5...

26

Doctors-in-short-supply-responsibilities-for-nurses-may-expa...

12

Less regular sleep for ICU nurses may lead to errors

17

Nurse sends unused medical supplies to needy nations

24

Premature Births Are Fueling Higher Rates of Infant...

6

MRSA Strain Linked to High Death Rates

28

RI hospital fined $150,000 in 5th wrong-site surgery since...

66

Nursing: One of the 6 Thriving Jobs that are Here to Stay???

90

Dad Fights Hospital to Keep Baby on Life Support



7

Why am I doing this, anyway?

0

Nurse Heal Thyself

7

My Papa, why I am the nurse I am today.

15

I made it through

11

An angel's gaze

13

A Sister Never Forgets

16

Ruby's Marbles

29

What Do Operating Room Nurses Do?

14

My Little Old Jedi

17

I love this job......

23

"I hear voices"

17

Preventing FRUTI (Foley Related Urinary Tract Infection) in...

23

Error and Attitude

10

It's Just a Shower

6

Searching for the Purpose





Currently Reading This Page: 1 (0 members & 1 guests)

Interested in the hottest topics of the week? Subscribe to the Nurse-zine Newsletter.
Enter email address: