[jmeador]

The second semester of nursing school we had to give our trusty lab partners deltoid, glute, and SQ injections. We also started IVs, and drew blood.
BUT because of sparse flu shots over the last 2 years our Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinic had to be canceled.

[JosieLPN]

I graduated this past aug and we were responsible knowing and demonstrating all of the injections sites, what syringe and how many ml's each hold

[rgroyer1RNBSN]

In my nursing school I went to was a hospital school of nursing and we practiced all kinds of skills on each other. We learned no more then 1 ml can go into the Dl site and if you do have say like 2 then you put 1 ml into one arm then another 1 ml in the other arm. anything more then that needs to go into the VL, VG, DG. We learned all the sites from DG to VL. oh and dont ever put Rocephin in the deltoid use the butt for that.

[comportment]

I am in semester three at the university I attend in the BSN program. So far I have given only 1 IM, and it was when we were in Long term care (year one).

As far as teaching goes, we learned injections by practicing on oranges, and "injection sites" plastic that is now used to resemble something real.

The practice of students injecting other students never happens period.

[sanctuary]

Originally Posted by comportment

I am in semester three at the university I attend in the BSN program. So far I have given only 1 IM, and it was when we were in Long term care (year one).

As far as teaching goes, we learned injections by practicing on oranges, and "injection sites" plastic that is now used to resemble something real.

The practice of students injecting other students never happens period.

That is really too bad. Back in the days of yore, we swallowed ng tubes, took shots, sacrificed blood, etc. Instructors never let us perform on a patient until we had shown "perfect" technique. And no aritficial arm is as sensitive as a fellow student who can critique your work, in vivo. Practice, practice, practice. Ah, those were the days...

[newbiern2006]

Originally Posted by AuntieRN

TazziRN...We were taught you give very few IM injections anymore. We were also taught to give it in the deltoid or the vastuslateralis rather then the vastus gluteus.

This is exactly what I was taught - and the reason for using the vastus lateralis instead of the gluteal site was the risk of hitting the sciatic nerve and causing the patient excrutiating, unnecessary pain that can last months. The risk is real, too - it happened to both me and my daughter.

[hfdguy]

Hi all.. I just graduated from an LPN program here in Connecticut. I can tell you my instructor tested, re-tested and re-re-tested all of us on injection sites.

Maybe the nurse forgot and was trying to cover it up, but my first IM injection was in the glute... I didn't do any injections in the delt until I could tell my instructor 'alternate' sites for administration.

Proud to be ... a GPN Step 1, change the S to a G.. Step 2, change that G to an L.

[nurseofalltrades]

We were definately taught the different sites and how much can be injected into each site IM. It has been pounded into our heads and we were taught easy ways to locate these..

[MissBeehaves]

We also learned all the sites, but if you check the newest clinical skills manuals, the gluteal site is no longer recommended for IMs and isn't even shown. At my school, they did teach us how and where to do it, but said to go to the vastus lateralus instead because it was safer.

[withasmilelpn]

My first IM (and first injection) was given to a tiny lady in my ambulatory care rotation in clinicals. I was absolutely petrified. Because she was tiny of course my instructor felt it would need to be given in 2 injections in the vg s. And since she was fearful of needles (and most likely the student as well) my instructor was gracious enough to invite her husband to stay and watch. I could have killed her! My hands shook and when I gave it to her she bled like a pig, which absolutely horrified me. ( I know, I shouldv'e known right needle pierces skin- may bleed, but the dummies never did) I froze while the husband anxiously asked are you ok honey repetively. Then I had to go through this again on her left, realizing I had never practiced on this side of our dummies and was very awkward and hesitant finding my placement. The whole experience was truly awful. Even though my techniques were fine I got a lecture about remaining professional and that I needed to get used to having family members present. Years later this is so funny, but I still think my instructor could've realized a student might get a touch of stage fright for their first time. Let me tell you every inj after that was a breeze though!