How do you learn to give injections?

Bonny619 · Nov 4, 2006

We used these injection pads that simulate the way it feels to give an injection. After that, you just go ahead and give them to patients!

PurrRN · Nov 4, 2006

Well let's say it's pretty much stick and go. LOL, not really....well um, sort of. In my school they went over the procedures and then gave us instructions on how to draw medicines, gave us needles and syringes and walked us through poking oranges and hotdogs. Took all of about 45 minutes. Couple days later in clinicals I gave my first "real" injection subQ, and have just finished my required 2 hours at the local immunization clinic. I will say it's a little nerve racking if your not familiar with the process, lets just say I'm glad I grew up on a ranch and had horses to practice on when I was younger. At any rate it's not something that you won't do fine on.

iHeartNICU · Nov 5, 2006

We also practiced on injection pads. Much more intimidating w/ a real patient. I have done only 3 subQ injections on patients in the hospital but have done many insulin injections on my grandmother who had shoulder surgery and couldn't do it herself. The only way to get over that initial fear is just do it...over and over again. It'll be a piece of cake before long...so I'm tolda. I'm not quite at that point yet.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Nov 5, 2006

We had a little practice time in our lab after demonstration, then had lab kits we had purchased for school that I used to practice at home.

Since I was afraid of injuring/killing my family, I bought oranges and just practiced "flicking my wrist" to try to get the feel for it. When I went to do my checkoffs that week, it went very smoothly and then I had a subq to do the next day at the hospital. It didn't feel so different than any of the practice I had been doing. And believe me, I wasn't sure after watching the injections videos if I could bring myself to do this -- I hate needles and hated the thought of "hurting" someone else. I've also gotten to do a number of IM injections since that time and they weren't much more difficult!!

It was actually a piece of cake!!

lisabeth · Nov 5, 2006

I also hate needles. I am going in for a TB test before I start volunteering this next week, and I am determined, I am going to watch that needle go in. I think that might be the best way to get over my fear. :uhoh21:

bleu_3 · Nov 5, 2006

Hello-

At my school we praticed on eachother in lab. It was very scary giving the first injection to my fellow classmate. But I'm glad we did it because during clinicals I wasn't nervous! That was the only thing that I was confident about.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Nov 5, 2006

I also hate needles. I am going in for a TB test before I start volunteering this next week, and I am determined, I am going to watch that needle go in. I think that might be the best way to get over my fear. :uhoh21:

LOL....Good luck with that!! I had to get my third Hep B this week....and once I saw her coming at me with that needle (as much as I wanted to watch for aspiration), I turned my head -- UGH!!

I do think I remember watching my TB test though....mostly because you can't hardly get away from it, and it really was rather fascinating to watch that bubble come up on your arm!!

Megsd, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2006

I had to do one injection in one of those plastic pads, and that was it. I didn't have an opportunity to practice again until this past week where I gave 3 SC's (2 insulin, 1 morphine) and an IM (phenergan). My instructor was excited for me because I guess not many people get to do IMs in clinical.

The first one is actually worse on you than it is for the pt. Luckily my first one was insulin to a type 1 diabetic, and he was so used to shots he actually told me he didn't feel it at all. That really boosted my confidence and made the other 3 easy as pie. Now I think shots are kind of fun, as long as I'm on the giving, rather than receiving, end.

BeccaznRN, RN · Nov 5, 2006

Yep, we used the injection pad as well (which in no way feels like real skin). I also practiced on an orange because we were told this would feel more like real skin. It did, but it still doesn't compare with actually giving a real injection. I ended up bouncing off the skin the first few times.

MIA-RN1, RN · Nov 6, 2006

if you can, practice at home on some raw chicken. It really is very much like giving an injection to a patient.

For the record, I simply abhor giving shots. I can do it, but I don't like to.

StudentNurseSteph, BSN, RN · Nov 6, 2006

we practiced on an orange one day.. patient the next..lol