How do you give a painless injection

[guzzebear]

Hi,, I am a new grad and desperatly need help on giving injection (SC & IM) I know the correct procedures on how to do it, but why do some patient claim it still hurt so much??!! Any helpful tips???

[RN-PA, RN]

I always tell my patients to take a deep breath right before I jab the needle in them. Then as I'm injecting the med, I tell them to breathe out. If I'm giving an IM in the buttocks, I add to the deep breath: "wiggle your toes!"

[CaliMedi]

Instead of saying "PAINLESS INJECTIONS" I would say "LESS PAINFUL" Injections can be less painful when inserted quickly like a dart and injecting medication slowly. Some people seem to think the the smaller the needle is, the less pain they will inflict. This is not true. For IM injections, you need to use a needle that will inject deep into the muscle. If your needle is too small, then you will inject into the fatty tissue and the medication might not be effective and may also cause a local reaction. So concentrate more on giving an effective injection rather than painless. Good luck!!

[StayLost, BSN, RN]

The NP i work with gives a painless injection by flicking her finger at the site of injection just before the needle goes in--something about the nerves there. An LPN I know does something simliar, when he scrubs w/ the alcohol wipe he does it a little rougher and it deadens up the nerves a bit so there is less pain going in.

My dentist does something similar by gyrating the cheek up & down VERY rapidly with the mirror instrument when he injects the gums with Novocain. I never can feel anything.