Giving injections!

Herk's mom · Nov 3, 2006

Wow! I thought I was the only one that felt this way! I have been working as a new LPN in a group home for about a month. And I have not yet had to give an IM. But I will. There is an individual who, when having seizures gets an IM Ativan! When having siezures, that gonna make it easy:uhoh3: !

And I've been warned that drawing it up is very difficult!

I couldn't imagine giving one to a baby!

Thanls for your post!

Fiona59 · Nov 3, 2006

It's one of those things that gets easier the more often you do it.

However, in my region, we don't use any of the gluteal muscles anymore, vastus lateralis is the muscle of choice.

Yes, your leg may hurt, but there's no chance of hitting the sciatic nerve.

MIA-RN1, RN · Nov 3, 2006

It's one of those things that gets easier the more often you do it.
However, in my region, we don't use any of the gluteal muscles anymore, vastus lateralis is the muscle of choice.
Yes, your leg may hurt, but there's no chance of hitting the sciatic nerve.

huh...maybe I will try that. I never really think much about the legs. Just on the top of the thigh, right? Thats where the babies get them.

Altra, BSN, RN · Nov 3, 2006

Wow! I thought I was the only one that felt this way! I have been working as a new LPN in a group home for about a month. And I have not yet had to give an IM. But I will. There is an individual who, when having seizures gets an IM Ativan! When having siezures, that gonna make it easy:uhoh3: !
And I've been warned that drawing it up is very difficult!
I couldn't imagine giving one to a baby!
Thanls for your post!

Drawing up Ativan is no different than drawing up any other med. Read your facility's policy on diluting it appropriately.

Know your landmarks, enlist a 2nd person to help hold if necessary, and do your best to keep that big-*** needle out of view of the patient unless they specifically say they want to watch. (many patients don't)

Like most things, this gets easier with practice.

RNKay31 · Nov 4, 2006

I also dislike pricking the skin, but it is a part of our job, all the best

suznan · Nov 8, 2006

I gotta say that i don't mind giving injections whether its sc or im. We did get lots of practice in clinicals though. We spent two mornings doing nothing but giving nursing home residents flu vaccines. I also had a clinical in the er one evening and all I did was give IM injections. It seemed that there was one ordered for almost every patient that night.

Susan

RNKay31 · Nov 8, 2006

Don't worry, you will feel much better in the future, all the best to you.

lysh7777 · Nov 9, 2006

what really bothers me, and freaks me out is having to go in and give these little old frail, cachetic, woman their flu shots. Ahh! I feel like I'm going to punch the needle right thru them and out through the other side! I seriously get sick to my stomach just thinking about it. Oh well. Can't get out of it though!

Cheez-It! · Nov 9, 2006

LMAO i love this. I used to feel this way. The first IM injection I EVER gave, was in my mommy's butt! LMAO

BUT, whoever mentioned drawing Ativan up, yes, it's like drawing up pancake syrup! What I do, God only know's I'll get in trouble for this one way or another, but our residents get cocktails. I dilute the Ativan with some Haldol or the Cogention. Much easier to draw up that way.

Just keep going, don't give up. I work a behavior facility. I give injections to sometimes, the same residents 3 and 4 times a day. Eventually it'll become second nature. Just go for it and don't second guess yourself. That's the worst thing you could do.

azilliRN · Feb 21, 2010

I love being a nurse. There are a couple things I don't like however. Probably one of the jobs I most dislike is giving IM injections. I get nervous, and sweat, and second and third-guess my placement.
I am not so bad in the arm but when I have to get into the bottom, well that's the worst. I know how to find the right spot, but its like I blank out when I get there and completely don't trust myself.
The IM's we give are mostly rhogam, depo, and I've given IM pred (I think, some type of steroid in any case). I haven't yet given a depo but I am nervous because I know that hurts a lot d/t the viscosity.
Don't even get me started on giving the babies their injections. I did that once and I don't know which of us suffered more, the baby or me.
Suggestions anyone? I thought of doing a flu shot clinic but I couldn't find any that weren't already hired up and working five days a week limits my free time anyway.

I am a recent graduate from Nursing School and I work as a Team Nurse for a Family Practice Clinic. I too have to give injections all day long to our patients. The injections range from giving pediatric shots (up to four in one visit), Depo-Testosterone, Depo, Steroids, T-dap, Pneumovax, and the usual seasonal and H1N1 injections. This is to name just a few.

I can sympathize with you and giving shots to the children...it's especially hard when you have parents and other children in the room. However, I don't know if you can ever get over the nervousness. In fact, the nurses I work with said that they still get nervous when they have to give multiple injections to the little ones. I have only been working in the Clinic for five weeks and I have already given shots to at least six children. What I have found to make it a little easier on me is...I put band aids on the childs legs (not all the way just one strip) and then I get my shots ready corresponding to each leg with lables on the syringes. With the help from the parents (unfortuantely, it sometimes takes three people to hold the child down) I inject the medication as quickly as possible and place the band aid over the site as quickly as possible. Try not take your time in injecting the med because it will affect you and the parents. I am not saying I am an expert but the more I have done it, the less anxious I seem to be. My anxiety does not show and the parents will never know how nervous I actually am. Try and work quickly but don't let on that you feel anxious and feel inadequate. Act like you know what you are doing and no one will ever know how scared you feel. Good luck!

azilliRN · Feb 21, 2010

I am a recent graduate from Nursing School and I work as a Team Nurse for a Family Practice Clinic. I too have to give injections all day long to our patients. The injections range from giving pediatric shots (up to four in one visit), Depo-Testosterone, Depo, Steroids, T-dap, Pneumovax, and the usual seasonal and H1N1 injections. This is to name just a few.
I can sympathize with you and giving shots to the children...it's especially hard when you have parents and other children in the room. However, I don't know if you can ever get over the nervousness. In fact, the nurses I work with said that they still get nervous when they have to give multiple injections to the little ones. I have only been working in the Clinic for five weeks and I have already given shots to at least six children. What I have found to make it a little easier on me is...I put band aids on the childs legs (not all the way just one strip) and then I get my shots ready corresponding to each leg with lables on the syringes. With the help from the parents (unfortuantely, it sometimes takes three people to hold the child down) I inject the medication as quickly as possible and place the band aid over the site as quickly as possible. Try not take your time in injecting the med because it will affect you and the parents. I am not saying I am an expert but the more I have done it, the less anxious I seem to be. My anxiety does not show and the parents will never know how nervous I actually am. Try and work quickly but don't let on that you feel anxious and feel inadequate. Act like you know what you are doing and no one will ever know how scared you feel. Good luck!

Some quick advice for you and I hope this helps you out. If you give the following injections...MMR, Varicella, and Shingles vaccine are given IM SubQ and Depo-Provera, Dep-Testosterone, and Steroids are given IM upper outter quadrant (hip area). These are the common injections I give to adults and children. Hope this helps!