Blunt Fill Needles for IM injections?

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Can blunt fill needles be used for IM injections?

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

What do you think? What are your thoughts on this?

4 Votes

not ideal, but definitely possible

1 Votes
Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
1 hour ago, cb57 said:

not ideal, but definitely possible

I believe the correct name is a ‘blunt filter needle’. Knowing that may help you to derive at a more solid conclusion.?

2 Votes
Specializes in Peds ED.

BLUNT. Blunt. That means the needle isn’t sharp. they’re also 18g everywhere I’ve used them. Would you want a blunt 18g jammed in to a muscle?

9 Votes

Deleted.

Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

There are two types made.A blunt fill is for drawing up from a vial and the blunt filter is for drawing up from an ampule. They should not be used to administer IM injections. If you were to use the filter blunt you could theoretically inject the small glass particles that collected in the filter section of the needle.

11 Votes
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.

You come at me with a blunt fill needle attached to the syringe, we are going to be having words. And no you won't be giving me the I'm

think about the name "blunt FILL needle" look at the end of your blunt fill needle and think about the consequences of jamming it into someones muscle

8 Votes
Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

Look at standard IM needle...look how thin it is...it's thin for a reason, to minimize tissue trauma while meeting the objective of delivering the medication.It also has a really nice smooth, sharp bevel. Now look at a blunt fill...that thing is huge and the bevel is shorter and blunt.

4 Votes

I am curious about the question.

There has to be some context to it. For starters, if you don't actually already know the answer, that is pretty scary. And, if you don't know how to find the answer, other than asking a bunch of strangers- also scary.

So- what's the deal here? Why do you ask?

Of course it is physically possible to give an intramuscular injection with a blunt. It is also physically possible to lower a bed rail and push the PT out of bed.

8 Votes
Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
On 5/24/2020 at 2:32 AM, iluvivt said:

There are two types made.A blunt fill is for drawing up from a vial and the blunt filter is for drawing up from an ampule. They should not be used to administer IM injections. If you were to use the filter blunt you could theoretically inject the small glass particles that collected in the filter section of the needle.

Good to know. The hospitals I’ve gone to have always used the blunt filter needles. Learn something new everyday.

On 5/24/2020 at 2:32 AM, iluvivt said:

There are two types made.A blunt fill is for drawing up from a vial and the blunt filter is for drawing up from an ampule. They should not be used to administer IM injections. If you were to use the filter blunt you could theoretically inject the small glass particles that collected in the filter section of the needle.

Interesting. We don't have blunt filter needles at my hospital. Like you, we have blunt fills for drawing from syringes. Then we have filter tips for drawing from ampules, but they are straw-like, and have no point on the end. You physically could not do an injection with them (even if you wanted to) because they are clear flexible plastic - it would just bend if you jammed it against a person's skin.

3 Votes
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