I was in a bit of a panic last week when I gave an IM and totally forgot to draw back to aspirate for blood. I talked with one of my friends (an NP) who told me that it was okay, that the latest guidelines say that one does not have to aspirate when giving an IM. I haven't been able to get in touch with her since to get an idea where these new guidelines might be.
Does anyone know? I really want to see it in writing before I go about giving IM's all wrong.
I've been a nurse for 19 years, and to this day, I still aspirate before giving an IM injection, no matter what site I am using. Aspiration before any intramuscular injection can prevent inadvertent intravascular injection.
VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN
49 Articles; 5,349 Posts
Better safe than sorry. I always aspirate and instruct my students to do so. Potter & Perry still instucts to aspirate beforehand with IM injections.