Embarassing...

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I have been working at our town flu clinic for the past two years...we administered about 820 vaccines between 6 of us a few weeks ago. Our town is relatively small and I found myself administering vaccines to a lot of people I know...Today, a friend of mine's husband announced that he ended up with a HUGE bruise at the injection site - his wife sheepishly admitted that she had a small bruise at her site as well. What happened?! Is this just that a vein was hit? Was my technique totally wrong? Of course, all IM injections were given in the deltoid - I squeezed the muscle slightly before injecting and used a dart technique. Any advice? (It's not fun to see patients you've "mangled" at the grocery store!) Was this just an unlucky fluke? I've not had anyone else complain that this happened with my injection administration before...Help!

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Specializes in ccu cardiovascular.

Everybody's different and some people bruise easier than others. Maybe they are on blood thinners. I'm sure you applied the proper technique. I'm sure if this was a problem people would have reported to the clinic. I bet if they didn't know you they would have not said a word.

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I would guess that you did nothing wrong. It drives me nuts when people blame the nurse for things like bruising or whatever. I once had someone turn me in to my manager because the Secanol I gave her made her so sleepy. It wasn't the medicine she complained about it was the nurse who gave it...like it was my fault or if another nurse had given it, she wouldn't have been so sleepy.

:)

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

it was for exactly this reason that i refused to give my husband his tetorifice shot a few years ago when he needed one. i drove to work and got the stuff, a syringe and a needle, and then i drove it over to his martial arts studio where he works out with a pa and another nurse in our unit. one of them gave him the shot and i had to listen to his whining about how much it hurt for days, but at least the whining wasn't directed at me because i hadn't given him the shot!

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Specializes in Public Health, TB.

I would tend to think that the "bruisees" might be taking something like a blood thinner. Many OTC preparations can prolong bleeding like ASA, flaxseed oil and or ginkgo.

Or may the needles were slightly dull. I doubt that there is a problem with you technique. Good grief, there are only so many ways to shove a piece of sharp metal through flesh. Just like with phlebotomy, some days your a hero, some days your a bum.:rolleyes:

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I'm not on any blood thinners but always seem to get a small bruise with an IM shot and on a blood draw I really bruise up. I guess I'm just one of those people. I think your friends are one of those people too. The bruises don't hurt anyway.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care.

My boyfriend got a bruise on his arm from it. Just a tiny one, the size of a thumbprint. I just started some injectable drugs that go in the belly/arm/leg (like insulin) with a 5mm, 31G needle, and one of my injection sites ended up bruising. The vascular system is pretty extensive. I figure I just hit a slightly bigger vessle.

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Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

Some people bruise- most people get a firm, inflamed area in thier deltoid after the flu shot. I prefer to give my own in the quad- much bigger muscle to handle the inflamation. I can see in a clinic not having everyone "drop trow" to inject the glut or quad but the price you pay is a bruised or at least firm/inflamed deltoids. Giving IMs isn't that tough. I'm sure you did fine. If you are worried about your technique have a more experienced nurse you trust watch you give a couple, then see if they have any suggestions. (away from the patients). I doubt there will be any.

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

Tell them there are worse things in life than bruises.

Like when my husband had to do Rowasa enemas each night for three months.

:lol2:

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.
My boyfriend got a bruise on his arm from it. Just a tiny one, the size of a thumbprint. I just started some injectable drugs that go in the belly/arm/leg (like insulin) with a 5mm, 31G needle, and one of my injection sites ended up bruising. The vascular system is pretty extensive. I figure I just hit a slightly bigger vessle.

My Byetta injections bruise my stomach as well, and the needle is so small you can barely see it.

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Yet another reason why I don't work in my small hometown.

I wouldn't worry about it...I am sure they will be back next year

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I generally spread the muscle out for an IM, not pinch it up. Up tends to get you into SQ tissue, right?

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