Giving injections to babies

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Peds.

Hello! I am a new nurse. I just got a job as home care nurse. I have a case and my patient is an 1 year old. I have to give subc injections, I know how to inject but I am having a hard time injecting her. Parents are present so far but I wonder how I will handle giving the injection when the parents are not around to help hold the baby still. Baby moves and cries when she feels I am cleaning with alcohol pad her tight. She starts moving and crying. Can someone please tell me how to place the baby and hold her when I am alone with not help and I have to give the injection.

Thank you in advance for the comments or suggestions !

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Someone needs to help hold. The proper way to hold is to hold the JOINT, so the leg does not move. Otherwise, too much pressure can be asserted and the baby gets injured. Depending on size of baby you might be able to papoose him/her with a blanket. I have used a blanket or folded sheet that was tucked under both sides of the mattress with the baby snug in between. But another person is safer and, if there is a problem, will be a witness that you did all you could to protect the baby from harm.

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Specializes in Peds.
Someone needs to help hold. The proper way to hold is to hold the JOINT, so the leg does not move. Otherwise, too much pressure can be asserted and the baby gets injured. Depending on size of baby you might be able to papoose him/her with a blanket. I have used a blanket or folded sheet that was tucked under both sides of the mattress with the baby snug in between. But another person is safer and, if there is a problem, will be a witness that you did all you could to protect the baby from harm.

Thank you. Every time I ask the parents to hold the baby, they said, how you will do when I am no here? And to be honest I don't know what to answer. But I wonder yeah how I will do ? When i was at school I never inject a baby so I feel very nervous and I hate injecting Her. i do not want to hurt her. She is fragile and does not have so much fatty tissue.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

If you have no experience doing injections in infants but have accepted this assignment ... have you communicated this to your agency and asked for some inservice/education?

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Tell them that in the hospital pediatric nurses work in teams when a procedure of any kind is being done.

Please don't be offended, but I think your employer should require pediatric experience, in hospital or clinic, before hiring. See if you can shadow a nurse clinician to get some pointers. Your employer should be able to locate someone and PAY YOU to learn how to do it correctly and safely for the sake of their own liability. Insist on appropriate training.

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Specializes in Peds.
Tell them that in the hospital pediatric nurses work in teams when a procedure of any kind is being done.

Please don't be offended, but I think your employer should require pediatric experience, in hospital or clinic, before hiring. See if you can shadow a nurse clinician to get some pointers. Your employer should be able to locate someone and PAY YOU to learn how to do it correctly and safely for the sake of their own liability. Insist on appropriate training.

Before accepting this case i work with another kid, but did not require injections. And I believe the company I work for is very careless. I went just for an hr training, and next day I was supposed to start working. I only have two weeks working there. Secondly, they do not pay the training, after I spoke with the coordinator they gave me a w9 which means I work as a contractor. I know it was not smart on me taking this job, but I have been looking for a job and it was offered this to me. So I took it, but I do not really like this company I work for.

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Specializes in Peds.
If you have no experience doing injections in infants but have accepted this assignment ... have you communicated this to your agency and asked for some inservice/education?

No I have not communicated this to the agency. I know I have too, and they knew I did not have a lot experience in peds, I did not lie to them but they hired me knowing the true.

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The whole situation does not sound right. I know you are trying to deal with it, and asking for help, but it may not be a good place for you to be working!

I wonder what illness....disease...a one year old could have that requires daily...(or more frequent) sub cutaneous injections? I am so curious. What is her illness, what medicine is she receiving?

If the parents leave after you arrive you could quickly give the injection, with their help, while they are there. Then if she needs another give it when they return home? How many times a day does she need them?

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Sounds like a dangerous situation.. If something as simple as injections is not covered I wonder what would happen if something serious came up. I'd look for a job elsewhere.

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Specializes in PICU.

Swaddle her tight with the limb you are going to inject out. If a baby blanket doesn't work sometimes a towel will. Just a normal old swaddle should work. This is what I do very often when starting ivs on kiddos.

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Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.

You had an hour of training....and that's it?

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I wonder what illness....disease...a one year old could have that requires daily...(or more frequent) sub cutaneous injections? I am so curious. What is her illness, what medicine is she receiving?

?

Diabetes?

Congenital heart disease (many require lovenox...I give it daily)

Another blood disorder?

There are endless possibilities. Welcome to the world of peds.

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