Giving injections question....

Nurses General Nursing

Published

The other day when I got my flu vaccine I asked the nurse to please draw it up with a separate needle and she looked at me like I was crazy. The other 3 nurses sitting with us had never heard of it either. We were taught that if you draw up meds with a diff needle that you admin with- it keeps the needle sharper and less painful. In my 3 years as a nurse- I always do this. (except tuberculin and insulin needles- as there isn't an option)

So- thoughts? Do you change needles? Have you really never heard of this? I was told I was wasting resources. :confused:

I was taught that the needle is contaminated with the rubber or ampule.

That's what alcohol swabs are for.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That image comes from a manufacturer sponsered "test" that is supposed to demomstrate the reusing of needles in tissue, not rubber stoppers.

There are a couple studies that say there is no dulling from using a needle 1 time in a rubber stopper.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.

When working in a physician's office, I always draw up with one and change to another (depending upon the type of injection I will be giving). When working flu shot clinics we use fixed-needle syringes and (obviously) NEVER change needles. I get the exact same reactions from my patients in both cases. About 90% say it was a cake walk and they barely felt it and about 10% sort of jerk away. I really don't think there is a marked difference between the two.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I was taught to confuse the pain gates:cool:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
I was taught to confuse the pain gates:cool:

I know that works - but how do you do it exactly?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

I was taught to change needles on some shots like PCN's but on others like B12' not.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm sure that there are some nursing school instructors on this board. Can you give the definitive word along with a citation?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I was also taught to change needles but was told that is not necessary at flu clinics. The only time I changed needles was if one became bent or otherwise seemed defective.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Edu,MS, Ortho,Trauma, Tele, Dialysis, HH.

I taught in a Nursing School back in the Philippines and this is what we teach our nursing students - ESPECIALLY if it's a MULTI-USE vial you're drawing the medication from. (Yes, we disinfect it first with alcohol...) But, yes, there is a RISK for small particles from the vial's rubber stopper to be left in the needle's lumen. It might sound like a waste of resources BUT that is never the case in NURSING. We don't feel it a waste of gauze or cotton balls if we only use them once, right? It's for our patients' safety. Besides, if something DID go wrong with the injection site because of pure ''luck", then we could put our career on the line just because a patient have heard somewhere that the nurse SHOULD have drawn up med using a different needle. I'd rather be safe than sorry...

Just my opinion... :nono:

Be Blessed Always! :nurse::redbeathe

Up Vote Up Vote ×

the following is a q&a forum (from nursingcenter.com), where a nurse asks the same question.

you can scroll down to the question...

Time for a (needle) change?

Q: "After I draw up an injectable drug with a needle and syringe, should I change the needle before administering the drug? This is what I learned to do in nursing school, but my manager says it's unnecessary. What's best practice?"

A: "Most authorities recommend changing the needle for several good reasons.

- After being used to puncture a stopper, the needle may be less sharp, which could make the injection more painful.

- The needle used to withdraw medication may carry residual medication that could irritate skin or subcutaneous tissue, increasing pain at the injection site.

- If you withdraw the medication with a large-gauge needle, switching to a smaller gauge will make the injection less painful.

Injecting insulin is the exception. Studies have found decreased accuracy of delivered insulin doses with syringes that had detachable needles compared with non-detachable needles."

Untitled Page

leslie

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I taught in a Nursing School back in the Philippines and this is what we teach our nursing students - ESPECIALLY if it's a MULTI-USE vial you're drawing the medication from. (Yes, we disinfect it first with alcohol...) But, yes, there is a RISK for small particles from the vial's rubber stopper to be left in the needle's lumen. It might sound like a waste of resources BUT that is never the case in NURSING. We don't feel it a waste of gauze or cotton balls if we only use them once, right? It's for our patients' safety. Besides, if something DID go wrong with the injection site because of pure ''luck", then we could put our career on the line just because a patient have heard somewhere that the nurse SHOULD have drawn up med using a different needle. I'd rather be safe than sorry...

Just my opinion... :nono:

Be Blessed Always! :nurse::redbeathe

Can you cite any case studies or examples of what you described happening or is this a personal theory?

I can say that there is a RISK of introducing foreign matter or infection by changing needles. As we know the more times a sterile delivery mechanism is manipulated the greater the chance of contamination.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment