Flu shot in arm for 8 month old?

Specialties Pediatric

Published

Nurse at ped office tried to give my 8 mo old a flu shot in the arm yesterday....I have been out of peds for a couple years now so I am wondering if something has changed since I left...or of I need to call back now that the RN supervisor is there and say something to her about it.

I did make them give the shot in the leg, just like I was taught back when I was practicing

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Specializes in Neonatal nursing (paediatric trained).

I've only just qualified as a child branch trained nurse - and I'd give an 8 month old an injection in the leg.

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in the arm?? What the heck were they thinking?? i doubt that it was a nurse who was giving the shots. In the dr's offices they use Medical Assistants, quite often... they can not draw up medicaions, but they can give injections.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Only.

Nope..leg only ..that nurse was wrong!

Reminds me of the time I went with my best friend to her babies dr's appt and he would need 5 shots and the oral med..

The Med. Assistant came in by herself, and was going to give each shot herself, one after the other!! Anything over 1 shot on a baby is done by 2 nurses, at the same time, so that the baby only feels one prick instead of two. We both pulled the nurse card on her - there was no way we were going to torture that poor baby like that..

I'm curious too- I bet it wasnt a nurse giving the shot..

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Generally, under the age of three, the vastus lateralis is the preferred site for IM's.

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Thanks everyone. This is making me extra ***** since the Dr called her the nurse and she introduced herself as *the Nurse*.

Why do people think that a 10-week medical assisting course is on par with being a real nurse?

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Specializes in M/S, SNU, Office, and Private Duty.

Theres just not enough to the arm to give a im in an 8monther. Nobody at our office will even think about giving an IM in the arm in any kiddo below 3.

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Specializes in Tele.
Thanks everyone. This is making me extra ***** since the Dr called her the nurse and she introduced herself as *the Nurse*.

Why do people think that a 10-week medical assisting course is on par with being a real nurse?

I totally agree!!!!!!!!! I hate when they call MA "nurse"

I was an MA myself, and sometimes the patient's called me nurse, and I would jokingly say "I wish I was a nurse!" then I would tell them that I am an MA. and sometimes the Dr. called me 'nurse', and then when I was alone with the patient doing vitals or blood draws I would say 'I am not a nurse yet, I am in school' and so on.

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NO NO NO.. What the heck are they thinking?? Or not?? Apparently they have never hit bone before. I have along time ago and you never forget it.

I am a pediatric nurse and would never hear of it. The question is not wheather to give it in arm or thigh but which size needle to use 25 or 23 guage depending on the size THIGH.. Man oh man.. :eek:

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Specializes in OB/GYN,L&D,FP office,LTC.

I agree with the other posters. NEVER give an infant an

injection in the deltoid!

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What? I can't believe they would actually think about giving an 8 month old a shot in the arm! Like mostly everyone else on here said, that was probably not a nurse, but a medical assistant, and that was wrong on her part. Very glad you and your friend spoke up and did not let her baby get the shot in the arm.

My daughter is 4, and she still gets her shots in the legs!

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Specializes in ICU, OR.

Just lurking... my kids have been to two different pediatric groups and both change injection sites from thighs to arms after one year old. Is this something they shouldn't be doing? I do mostly adults so I didn't know it was a problem.

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