I am curious if any current or recent students(RN or LPN) were told by their instructors that you did not have to aspirate for blood when giving IM injections, with or w/o using Z-track.
Here's why I ask: while at work today, a student(doing his clinicals on my floor) gave an IM injection to a patient, but DIDN'T aspirate before pushing the med thru. When he was called on it by the staff RN, the student's response was "My instructors have always told us that we don't have to aspirate when using the Z-track method." Personally, I have NEVER heard this, nor was I taught it when I was in school(and I attended the same one as this student)!! As for the instructor's response, unfortunately I never found out what she said. Would've been interesting to hear, though.
So any students ever been told this by an instructor?
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
Both CDC sites are talking about administering immunizations ONLY....totally separate from administering medications IM that if administered inadvertently IV could cause harm....simple step of few seconds to aspirate avoid issue altogether.
One should ALWAYS aspirate when giving IM injections. The CDC site is talking about vaccines- not other medications like antibiotics. Could you imagine what would happen if you hit a blood vessel, didn't aspirate, and accidently injected something like Bicillin (which is THICK, like glue) into a vein!?! Or gave a dose of Rocephin (which if given IV should be over approx 20 minutes) into a vein by accident over a few seconds?!? Yes, the chances of hitting a vein aren't very great, but it IS a possibility, so you really should aspirate every time.
I do disagree with the information from B-D about injecting 1ml over 10 seconds, then waiting another 10 seconds before removing the needle. While this would work in an ideal world, I am not going to hold a needle in a squirming 2-year-old's thigh for 20+ seconds! Trying to do this could cause more damage than good.
I'm a first year nursing student and we were taught to aspirate all IM and Sub-Q injections, except for iron, heparin, lovenox, etc. We were taught the Z-track method, but our program director told us she rarely uses it because it causes more pain, the only time she uses it is when you give iron.
I'm a first year nursing student and we were taught to aspirate all IM and Sub-Q injections, except for iron, heparin, lovenox, etc. We were taught the Z-track method, but our program director told us she rarely uses it because it causes more pain, the only time she uses it is when you give iron.
I aspirate anyway..you're right...it only takes a few seconds. I was just posting to advocate for the student who someone assumed was lying to save his/her butt.
I am an immunization specialist with a University in Northern Virginia. You do not have to aspirate, as of 2006. According to the Immunization Action Coalition, http://www.immunize.org, aspitating is not necessary. This is also backed by the CDC, the Center for Disease Control, http://www.cdc.gov. Good luck and aspirating is not necessary.Cathy
NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN
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Both CDC sites are talking about administering immunizations ONLY....totally separate from administering medications IM that if administered inadvertently IV could cause harm....simple step of few seconds to aspirate avoid issue altogether.