Giving injections for the 1st time this evening

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It's flu vaccine time! The hospital has agreed to let RN students administer the IM flu vaccinations to the patients. This will be my first. Am I nervous? Does a syringe have a hub?

I've read the text and practiced briefly (well, we had to take turns) yesterday in class giving an IM to a mannequin....and also drew a blank when the instructor asked how would I go about locating the injection site? I knew it; just couldn't think of it. So I'm like, "Okay, it's down from the greater trochanter, etc etc..." Yeah, okay, again I'm brain-locked on the terminology. Some students practiced via the deltoid area...I got the hip. Anyhoo, most of the pts today will get it via deltoid but I'll admit I'm still nervous. I know the site is three fingers from the acromion process. Heavens, I hope what I've palpated on my husband was his acromion process. :stone

Anyhoo, wish me luck. Pray that I don't get nervous and hurl all over anyone in my immediate vicinity. Pray that I don't tremble so much that I break the needle. Pray that I remember to aspirate. Pray!

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Specializes in Adult Med-Surg, Rehab, and Ambulatory Care.

I'm sure you'll do fine! Good luck and enjoy the experience! :D

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Good luck!

Try to relax :roll

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You'll be fine!!! best of luck!!

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, MICU/SICU.
Heavens, I hope what I've palpated on my husband was his acromion process.
:roll

Oh you just never know! :eek:

You'll do great!!!

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My school has us run the flu vaccination clinics at malls and grocery stores. My clinical group just did one two weekends ago, and trust me, by the end of the day you will all be pros!

There are 5 students total in my group and in 3 hours we gave over 80 vaccinations.

When I went to give my very first injection on a person I thought I was going to pass out. But after that first person, it went very smoothly, nothing to it!

You will do fine! Good Luck!

Col

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Specializes in CICu, ICU, med-surg.

Colleen is absolutely right. By the end of the day, you'll be feeling really confident. We gave a flu clinic a couple of weeks ago and I gave about 30 injections in 3 hours. I was shaking like a leaf when I gave my first injection to a classmate, but by the end I felt like a pro.

Good luck and have fun!

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Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU,.

let us know how it goes.

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Will do, and thanks y'all for the advice and encouragement.

I'm dressed in my uniform now, and have only done a l'il stress eating....(one bowl of Special K w/bananas, two scrambled eggs, half a can of Pringles Lite, half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, five barbeque pork skins, and one mini-Snickers left over in one of my twins's Halloween buckets).....Not bad, eh?:stone

I've reviewed sites for injection....concentrating mostly on the deltoid area and the vetrogluteal as well as air locks (in case this hospital does it that way) and Z-tracks (again, in case that's the hospital's policy).....

You know, those orange slices on the microwave are calling out to me.

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Okay, I'm back.

I'll be honest with y'all. I didn't do as well as I'd hoped. I only gave one shot tonight (the others gave 2 to 3) and it took me three tries to get it. The first one I was given ended up not being able to have the shot because she was on antibiotics. The second one....well, I filled the syringe, (don't worry, I checked the vial three times) checked off the lot number and the manufacturer...got my alcohol swab and round bandaid and went to the room, instructor at my heels. I checked the armband again (even though I'd checked it earlier) told her what I was going to do and that she could expect a prick (even though she wasn't responsive) and made my first attempt. It was like someone had grabbed my wrist at the moment the tip touched her skin. I had to throw that syringe away and prepare another one. Would you believe I hesitated again? I failed again. This time, the instructor looking at me with a mixture of pity/understanding/horror and per her suggestion, I watched another student give her patient an injection. Well, this student did it wrong. The instructor had given me the best view so I could see how it was done but in so doing, had not seen that this student "bounced" the needle tip into the skin, withdrew, and then proceeded to give the injection anyway.

The instructor walked up to me and asked me if I was ready now. I said yes, I'm ready. I went into that room and, with her watching, gave the injection. She said I did it perfectly.

I'm not sure how to feel. Though I am glad I did it just right at the end, I'm embarassed that it took me three tries. I just knew I wouldn't have any problem with it, yet I did.

Okay, so what I need to do is get out of this uniform, get showered, and into my pj's.

Wish I could've reported a better scenario.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, MICU/SICU.

You did great! The bottom line is you did the skill right in the end. Now you've gotten through the hard part. Be proud of yourself.

God bless,

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Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

There's a first time for everything. Please give yourself credit. You're still learning and you did wound up doing just fine. Hope my first experience is that good.

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