heparin injections

sanakruz, ADN · Apr 17, 2003

Howdy-

Havent given or received any heparin injections lately myself.....

debbyed · Apr 17, 2003

Well Hi there!!!

And the question You wish to ask???

Liddle Noodnik · Apr 17, 2003

Ooops, I am REALLY new, I entered before I posed my question.

I just recently started a new job in a major hospital. We'all were talking about heparin injections and NO ONE had heard of changing the needle ( for sub q injection) after withdrawing heparin from a vial.

I'm interested to see if any of YOU do change the needle so as to prevent the heparin on the needle from "tracking" into the injection site. They all looked at me like I was from a foreign country or something! :confused:

plumrn, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2003

That's the way I learned it, too. Use a 25g or 28g needle, change needles after drawing up, 90 degree angle in the abd, below the umbilicus, don't aspirate, don't massage. We were also taught to check the dose with another nurse after drawing it up. This was a few yrs ago.

RNIAM, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2003

plumrn

That is how we are being taught right now.

RNonsense · Apr 17, 2003

Yes, it stops "blue belly" syndrome.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Apr 17, 2003

Same here but we use a 3 cc syringe because makes for less pressure than a tb one does.

panda_181 · Apr 17, 2003

We were only taught to change the needle when doing IMs...not Heparin. We don't have vials, we use ampules, but you can still get Heparin on the needle from those. If you're going to go to that extreme, wouldn't they want you to change the needle after drawing up Insulin?

Amanda :)

ceecel.dee, MSN, RN · Apr 17, 2003

We don't even use SQ Heparin anymore.

It's Lovenox, and syringes are prefilled, so no needle change!

Liddle Noodnik · Apr 17, 2003

re: changing the needle after insulin, it is because heparin is an anticoagulant that you'd change the needle; "blue belly" = unnecessary bruising from the medicine that sticks to the outside of the needle.

I'm glad people are responding; good idea about the 3cc syringe!

kimmicoobug · Apr 18, 2003

I have never changed the needle with hep...but then again, I have only given it once. :)

I have only really given Lovenox.