Heparin injections ?????

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Specializes in Aged Care, General Acute,Theatre,Rehab,.

I have come across a question today as applying for a job on something I have not encountered in my Nursing experience before.

Why do we ONLY give Heparin injections as subcuts???? :confused:

Pain and bruising is one reason.

How about mucking up half life?

Plus if we inject as an IM, it may enter the blood stream too quick?

I have, like I said, come across this actual question before. I KNOW we give it subcut because that's how we do it. But why? :cool:

I'm posting this in the Student section as maybe a bright spark of a student may be able to answer. And if not, they might learn as I will. I hope!

See lovely students. Just because you finish and graduate Nursing school DOESN'T mean you have finished learning. :eek:

Thank you to any and all who attempt to answer this question. :yeah:

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According to Davis's Drug Guide: "Do not adminster IM because of danger of hematoma formation." And if I were to add to this...If we think about the blood vessels in the muscle (capillaries)...

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Specializes in Cardiac, Derm, OB.

Agree with above: Davis Drug Guide "do not administer IM d/t risk for hematoma formation". LMWH is SQ only. Old school Heparin can also be IV administration.

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Specializes in Aged Care, General Acute,Theatre,Rehab,.

Thank you both.

I thought of both of these, but thought "Maybe there is some other specific reason that Iv'e missed.". But not maybe I didn't.

Thank you both.

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