help with injections im!!!

[hoping to be an rn, ADN]

i am so confused on giving an im injection do you hold the skin taut or pinch the skin up???? i have had several people tell me different things so which one is it?

thanks

[totallytheresa]

With an IM injection, you're supposed to stretch the skin taut, because you're going down into the muscle. There are different ways to do this because you want to "seal in" the meds. With SQ you pinch the tissue up, because you don't want it going into the muscle, just the fat that you've pinched up! Hope this helps! Theresa :)

i am so confused on giving an im injection do you hold the skin taut or pinch the skin up???? i have had several people tell me different things so which one is it?

thanks

[lil' girl, LPN]

That's right hold the skin taut for intramuscular injections!

[Rick_s3]

hopefully you have been taught the z-track method for i,m injections pushing skin and loose sq away from site....releasing as you withdraw the needle

[studentNY]

I pinch up when the person is very thin. Just did a flu clinic. Somepeople are very thin and you must really pinch up so you don't hit bone. I love giving shots.