evidence re: subcut injection angle

Published

Hi, I am currently trying to research for evidence concerning the needle degree angle for subcut injections but am struggling to find any evidence. i have found some articles but would appreciate if anyone knew of any articles/research that may help.

Thankyou

Julie

Up Vote Up Vote ×

What's the gist of your research? Or what is your goal for this research?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I learned in the dark ages 45 degree angle-- the sq needles have always been 5/8in--but nowdays nurses are more and more doing sq with the 5/8 at a 90 degree angle thinking the needle is short enough for the sq space??? lovenox for the abd sq is straight in and an 1/2 in or smaller needle..hope this helps..

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.
I learned in the dark ages 45 degree angle-- the sq needles have always been 5/8in--but nowdays nurses are more and more doing sq with the 5/8 at a 90 degree angle thinking the needle is short enough for the sq space??? lovenox for the abd sq is straight in and an 1/2 in or smaller needle..hope this helps..

Does the Lovenox literature say to go straight in?? I guess I've always gone in at 45 out of habit.

OP, not sure if there is any "research" per se that rationalizes the 45 degree angle for SQ, I guess to me it's just self-evident for maintaining the proper route and avoiding muscle tissue. If you are looking for rationale for a care plan, that's exactly what I would write; e.g. "Ensures medication will reach SQ space and avoid entering muscle."

Up Vote Up Vote ×

don't know the articles...but Americans are fatter than we used to be... for most people 90 degree angle works fine!!! Only reason to change that would be an emaciated person.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.
don't know the articles...but Americans are fatter than we used to be... for most people 90 degree angle works fine!!! Only reason to change that would be an emaciated person.

Haha got a nice chuckle out of that. Funny, sad, and true in many cases. :lol2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thankyou all, i am currently trying to complete a clinical skills assessment looking at one aspect of subcut injections. I am looking at needle degree and am trying to state whether we use this technique on evidence based practice or just simply because "that is how it is done" so too speak. I am including the assessment of the person in regards to their size. Thankyou all,

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

I found the following abstract concerning *IM* injections:

http://journals.lww.com/nurseeducatoronline/Abstract/2000/01000/The_Myth_of_the_90_degrees__Angle_Intramuscular.17.aspx regrettably, access to the entire article requires a paid subscription.

Also http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12173166 , http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice-clinical-research/are-techniques-used-for-intramuscular-injection-based-on-research-evidence/1952004.article

OK so I can't sleep and have nothing else to do. :)

This one I thought was the most relevant, but it was also published way back in the 70's and the link only provided the first page of the article. Fascinating reading if you happen to be really interested in such things: //www.jstor.org/pss/3421562

Basically, I'm not finding much at all in the way of "evidence-based practice" unless of course you want to count the fact that probably 99% of experienced nurses you ask will tell you that SOP for a SQ injection is a 45 degree angle.

And now I'm gonna take off my nurse geek hat and try to get some more sleep.

Interesting topic to be writing about.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion