I’m giving Covid vaccines in our community. I’m looking for tips on deltoid IM injections from other nurses. Many needle phobic people I want to give the least painful shot as possible. Also many frail people with small arms. More Like This IM Injection, Hitting Bone? by etep1209 Does the shot mess with your DNA? by Floor_Nurse What You Need to Know About Trigger Point Injections by J.Adderton, BSN, MSN Nurses and Germ Warfare by Joe V To Vaccinate Or Not To Vaccinate, That Is The Question by Joe V
Orca, ADN, ASN, RN 2,066 Posts Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC. Has 28 years experience. Mar 4, 2021 The biggest issue that I see (not just with COVID shots) is people pushing the needle in instead of darting it in. If you push it in slowly, you are tearing the tissue instead of piercing it, and it exposes more tissue to the often irritating effects of what is being injected.
mariaconcetta 23 Posts Mar 4, 2021 Thanks for your tip. I have been darting it in. Any advice for small frail arms?
nursej22, MSN, RN 3,270 Posts Specializes in Public Health, TB. Has 38 years experience. Mar 4, 2021 Know your landmarks and avoid injecting into the shoulder joint. Let the rubbing alcohol dry. And skin should be taut. Either spread it out with your non-injecting hand for loose skin or small arms, or bunch it up by grasping the muscle. And definitely dart it in.
Meliza Marcos, BSN, RN 4 Posts Specializes in Orthopaedic Surgery/Medical Surgical. Has 6 years experience. Mar 5, 2021 do it a quick and as smooth as possible. practice makes perfect. I was hated for giving out flu shots but after a few tries my patients couldn't believe that they already got the shot.
mariaconcetta 23 Posts Mar 5, 2021 Is bunching up the arm a standard of practice for frail or small arms? I’ve seen online that is my a technique that should be used for Covid vaccine.
toomuchbaloney 10,783 Posts Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice. Has 44 years experience. Mar 5, 2021 21 minutes ago, mariaconcetta said: Is bunching up the arm a standard of practice for frail or small arms? I’ve seen online that is my a technique that should be used for Covid vaccine. Helps with small muscle mass individuals.
nursej22, MSN, RN 3,270 Posts Specializes in Public Health, TB. Has 38 years experience. Mar 5, 2021 51 minutes ago, mariaconcetta said: Is bunching up the arm a standard of practice for frail or small arms? I’ve seen online that is my a technique that should be used for Covid vaccine. It depends on the arm. The person's arm should be relaxed, bunch if you can, but if there is little muscle sometimes spreading the skin out is more effective than bunching. But you want the skin taut.
MTRN18, BSN 15 Posts Specializes in CVICU. Has 5 years experience. Mar 6, 2021 Thanks for all the tips!
Orca, ADN, ASN, RN 2,066 Posts Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC. Has 28 years experience. Mar 8, 2021 On 3/4/2021 at 3:35 PM, mariaconcetta said: Thanks for your tip. I have been darting it in. Any advice for small frail arms? There was an item on the news this morning about COVID vaccine clinics locally. They showed 3-4 injections being given, and every one of them was pushed in. I wanted to yell at the television. These are licensed nurses who were supposedly taught how to give injections.
grad2012RN 63 Posts Has 1 years experience. Mar 10, 2021 Thanks for the advice. I've been giving flu shots and other immunizations for a few years, and just learned something new. Also, we get yearly training for flu clinics. I wonder if the pharmacists and firefighters that are administering vaccinations get this expert training?
