I was fired for refusing to give injections incorrectly!

Okay, so I've been sitting here for a while, trying to figure out what kind of utter moron thinks it's faster to tape two syringes together than simply to give two injections. Then it finally dawned on me--peds. They only want to stick the kid one time. I'm not saying it's even remotely right, but at least it makes some semblance of sense.

Anyway, congratulations on "not fitting in" with their way of doing things. That's the great thing about life--there are a million ways to do it wrong, but usually far fewer to do it right.

I had to read the post a couple of times before I understood it. Taping 2 syringes together??? Talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater...If one is THAT concerned about sticking the kid twice, how about using EMLA Cream? (Oh, I almost forgot...that costs $$ and that's what it's all about these days!)
Congrats for standing up and doing the right thing when it was difficult. Don't let it erode your self confidence...YOU are in the right here and still a good clinician!

As I said in my orriginal thread, this practice had children ranging in age from birth to 18 years old. I agree with you that in some instances a 5/8 inch needle is appropriate, that's what nursing judgement is for. My point was that they did not have any 1" needles at all in the office therefore making it immpossible to give an IM injection to an older pt with more adepose tissue. The nurses there had no problems at all with the way they were doing things, that was the scary part.

First of all, I would like to think that you do not consider pediatric nurses utter morons. Taping syringes together has never been an accepted practice in any practice area that I have been in in my 25 years of pediatrics. Certainly one wants to traumatize a child as little as possible, but if you give the injections one right after the other (in separate sites), the child's reaction is no different than with one injection. Certainly using two sites and giving the injections a few minutes apart would be more traumatizing. I have given thousands of injections and have been told I am quite good at it, even when having to give multiple injections.


The original writer should report the practice to the state regulating bodies as soon as possible. It sounds to me like the nurses in the practice are the ones who are not willing to change.

Also, try and give peds another shot (pardon the pun ) if the opportunity arises. Not all pediatric nurses are like the ones you encountered in that office.