IMs and aspirating blood

[soxfan80]

I can't post in the polls section, so I'm asking here. Have you ever aspirated blood when giving an IM inj?

[Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN]

Always aspirate....never got any blood...yet.

[jlthompson]

I think it is fairly rare. I have done it once in 10 years of working.

[Little Panda RN, ASN, RN]

Only once in 12 years and it had to happen on a 8 year old getting a flu shot. I felt terrible that I had to give him another shot. He took it well:)

[newtress, LPN]

I wonder what the rationale is for some schools teaching to not aspirate? I'm currently giving flu shots and always aspirate, but always see blood quickly seep from injection site directly after withdrawing needle with those on aspirin therapy.

[kcksk]

In a year working in a pedi office I aspirated blood twice--once on an extrememly skinny 12 yr old and the second on an obese teen. One of the pts mom was a nurse and was shocked. She said she had never aspirated blood before. Just lucky I guess :) So I always aspirate on IMs.

[nursel56]

Never had it happen.

[Ayvah, RN]

Aspirating for a SQ injection?

I always aspirate on IM injections. I've only aspirated blood one time, with a flu vaccine injection.

The sub Q shot was an allergy shot. I shudder to think of what would have happened if I had not aspirated - it likely would have sent her into anaphylaxis.

[Ayvah, RN]

Never have I aspirated blood.

Also another to aspirating for subQ

Just to clarify, you do not have to aspirate for certain sub Q like heparin or insulin.

[bsyrn, ASN, RN]

Of the thousands ( literally, I do flu and hep shots) of IM injections I have given, I aspirated blood once. In that circumstance, I pulled out the syringe and just started over with a new one. It doesn't happen often but does happen so there is a valid reason to draw back when giving IM's. Hope this helps

[miss_vtRN]

So glad to find this discussion! As an EMT-I, I was taught to always aspirate IM's and was shocked to find this not being taught in nursing school because I had always understood it to be very important...I actually stopped aspirating because the clinical instructors marked you as wrong if you did it that way! sounds like I should start doing it again...

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

I can't post in the polls section, so I'm asking here. Have you ever aspirated blood when giving an IM inj?

Hasn't happened to me yet, but I've only been a nurse for about a month.

[MissBeanerRN]

I haven't personally although when I was in Nursing school,I saw one of my classmates aspirate blood on a newborn while attempting to administer vit k. Shocked the nurse.