IM injections- to aspirate or not?

Nurses General Nursing

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I may be beating an old horse with a stick on this question, but the last thread I found was from 2010....and well... we all know medicine can change drastically over almost 10 years. SO... in school I was taught to NOT aspirate (draw back to see blood flash back) before injecting in an intramuscular injection. Our teacher said there is not evidence to support the use of it. Is our school right? I found that the CDC does not recommend this practice for vaccinations... but what about just plain old medication administration? What do yall do and what are your thoughts?

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

She probably hit a capillary on the way out. That happens a lot. Amazing how profusely those little suckers bleed.

What bugs me is it seems many do not actually use any technique to check they have the right spot. I have seen so many way too low or too high (deltoid).

 

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