Injection Technique--VENT!!

[JnJTyson]

OK, I don't know, maybe because it happend to my husband, I'm blowing things WAY out of wack. And we all know what emotions can do to our view of what happens. So! here's the background...

My husband woke up with sharp right-sided abd pain. I did my little assessment and told him to go to the doc. My head is screaming appendicitis, but I wouldn't tell him that. He didn't have rebound tenderness, but he did have pain on the right when I pushed on the left...you know...all that good stuff. So he went to the doc, and they sent him for an CT with oral and IV contrast.... poor guy said he felt like he was in the microwave when they pushed the dye

Anyhow, on the plus side, they decided that he didn't have appendicitis! WOOPIEE! The doc orders a Rocephin IM inj, leaves and sends the nurse in.

OK. My husband weighs about 120 pounds soaking wet and is 5'10! So, very little fat, VERY little-but cute-tush. I joked around with him about getting harpooned in the butt...boy did I feel dumb...he got harpooned in the butt!!! She used the longest needle I think she could find, and just shoved that needle into him so hard, I was waiting for the needle to come out the other side and start spraying Rocephin all over me. He didn't want to sit down in the car because he was hurting so much. :angryfire

OK, so...VERY thin guy, not much fat in the heiney department needs an IM inj. Heres what I would have done....5/8 inch needle, skip the v. glute. go for the d. glute. His inj site was...well..on the butt...but kinda in the middle (thank goodness she didn't hit the nerve!)

Do they not teach that needles are REALLY sharp and coated to slide in easily? You need some force....but jeez! She took the 1 hand approach (the other was kinda in that off to the side stabalize the aim pose) and just jammed it right in.

I usually hear "that wasn't TOO bad" when I do injs. So..am I over emotional, or was that nurse WAY to rough with the inj?

Thanks for letting me vent...

Jules

[fergus51]

I can't say cause I wasn't there. I will say, I usually inject fast not hard and I never use the dorsogluteal. We were taught the ventrogluteal is the best spot for those skinny patients and they actually stopped teaching the d gluteal the year after I graduated because of the risk of nerve damage. It sounds like she did the d glut.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Rocephin IM HURTS.

That's one shot I try to just get overwith. I've only had to give it IM a couple of times in my life, but both times--Ventrogluteal on very skinny LOLs, so I know what you're talking about.

The nurse could've warned him and maybe let him go home with an ice pack or something, geez, ya think?

So sorry he had to go through this and hope he's feeling better soon.

[OHmom2boys]

Rocephin IM HURTS

No REALLY! Rocephin IM REALLY, REALLY hurts....no matter where or how you give it!

I was six weeks pregnant with twins and had a little cellulitis on my earlobe from a bug bite...of course it caused enlarged lymph node and total exhaustion (which I chalked up to the twins! )

So anyway...since I was pregnant...NO lidocaine...only sterile water....

You ever wanna know what we are shooting into those little babies too little for lidocaine???? DON"T FRICKING ASK! LOL!! I used to do it everyday...now can't stand the thought.

No really, this is a painful injection no matter where or how you get it. Yes, mine was dorso....by a VERY experienced and skilled nurse (She gave my 12 yr old brain injured child an inj. of phenergan and he didn't even know...and that's an ouchie shot also....and trust me, if ever a kid would voice his opinion, it would be my Jacob :) Thankd you GOD for that!!! :balloons: )

Try it without lidocaine.....in a woman who can give injections all day, but don't come near me with a needle....and hormonal from pregnancy. Pissed over having to go to the dr in the first place...... and then the mention of the "dreaded" Rocephin painful shot. Then I heard good ole doc say 'sterile water'......talk about a mood! LOL! And a sore butt....for days and days!!!!

Yes, I agree that technique helps and means a lot. But sometimes there is no HELP! NO amount of skill or technique is gonna matter.....especially with that thick, ugly colored, nasty, butt-hurting Rocephin!!! With sterile H2O or Lidocaine....the stuff still hurts like.....well, you know! :chuckle

Really hope I didn't offend anyone with my post. If so, please just let me know. I don't post very often because I never know what to say anymore! LOL!!!!!!!

Kim (Jacob and Zach's mom)

[JnJTyson]

Oh no...no offence taken! I know some of these shots burn and hurt like the living daylights!!! Like I said, this just may be the emotions running wild! LOL

I decided the technique the nurse used....dart throwing stance..it was REALLY an odd stance!

But he is feeling better! So, I just told my hubby the next time he needs an abx shot to have the MD write an rx and I'll give it to him. =0) So if it REALLY hurts him, he can blame me...lol

Jules

[ems55]

My wife who gets frequent throat and sinus infections, cannot take oral antibiotics. They all make her extremely nauseous. She and her doctor have accepted the fact that a shot of Rocephin is her only course. Although she does not like it, a few times a year she (after hemming and hawing for a few days) usually gives in and goes for the Rocpehin shot. Believe me she is a trooper, she is not a baby about shots and gets birth control and B12 shots regularly. She tells me the Rocephin is not pleasant.

Anyway I would like to get an opinion from this group of nurses based on a very recent experience my wife had at the doctors. She was experienceing another sore throat and decided she should just go and get a shot. No fever or anything else. I drove her there and we discovered that her regular doc was out and there was a covering doc in the office. He agreed to the shot and few minutes later a nurse (MA?) came in. She said the doctor ordered two shots. My wife was not happy but assumed the position. When I looked at the needles they were huge, I said is that Rocephin? She said no, the doctor ordered bicillin. Now my wife is very skinny and the sight of these huge syringes made me nervous. As she injected the stuff my wife actually begged her to remove it and was crying I have never seen her cry during a shot). After tears and near begging to leave, she finally consented to receiving the second shot. She was not pleased! On the way home she started shivering and shaking, she said she was cold and nauseous (despite being wrapped in three wool sweaters), by the time we got home she was vomiting severly. We returned to the doctor and she received another shot for vomiting and given a suppository. She went home and slept but later woke with the same symptoms. We went to a "doc-in-the-box" where she unwillingly received three more shots including a steroid, benadryl, and more nausea meds. Her tiny bottom now had six band-aids on it! Her sore throat was unchanged and she practically limped out of there. Someone she knew was sitting in the waiting room and asked her how she got hurt (thinking she sprained her ankle). The next morning she returned to her regular doctor (who was back in the office) and without asking any questions proceeded to administer a Rocephin shot! We can't believe she had seven shots in 24 hours. This whole thing was a nightmare. Our questions???

How many shots can be given in a short period of time like that? Is there a limit? Why give rocephin when she already had biccillin in her?

How do you decide what size needle to use? The biccilin needles were very long (she is very skinny).

I am only guessing but the bicillin looked like a lot of medicine compared to the other stuff she received. How much could they give in one shot? Is it based on the size of the person?

It is 3 days and her sore throat is gone but she is still limping and says her bottom is very sore. When will this go away?

Thanks for your anticipated input.