Making Heparin shots less painful for pts?

[Rachd99]

Hello all,

I am a relatively new nurse and I was hopeful that some of you might have some tips as to how I can make heparin shots less painful for my patients?

Thanks!

Rachel

[CrossCountryRN2008]

Pinch an inch

[MECO28, BSN, RN]

Do it slowly; it burns less. I also put mine in an insulin syringe but I know some places prefer that the carpuject is used.

[Pinky89]

Pinch the skin really hard while you inject. Patients always tell me that my pinch was worse than the actual shot and that I give the best shots! It really works

[dance4life]

Let the alcohol dry.

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

Use a sharp needle. Use a needle to draw up the medication and then replace with a brand new needle. If you use the same one, it can dull the needle and make it more painful for the patient.

[Do-over, ASN, RN]

Pinch the skin really hard while you inject.

I can't get behind pinching any patient "really hard", unless perhaps to try and elicit a response in someone found unresponsive...

I've not really noticed any of my patients reacting very strongly to heparin shots... And, it seems that it is the medication itself, and not the puncture, that may be uncomfortable.

[Nurse_cox]

Do it quickly. Pinch a plump section between two fingers.

[lovin]

Find the fattiest part of belly you can - sometimes this is close to the love handles. Let the alcohol dry. Use a fresh needle. Push it fast.

[Alicat1451]

I had to give myself heparin injections for about 3 months and it's the medication that hurts. I didn't push it slow or fast, just a steady pace. I'm not sure that it really matters because once the medication is in, it just starts burning and takes a little while to stop. I don't think there's a good fix unfortunately :)

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

I always pinch a fatty area, alcohol swab, stab like a dart, plunge the medication and withdraw. My patients say they never feel it. Takes practice, been doing this for several years now. BTW, I use the same needle I draw medication with. Who has time to switch up needles when you have five to give at 0600 med pass??

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[THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN]

It's nice to have the prefilled syringes. The needle is used once and it's so tiny. My pts rarely feel it unless they're super skinny.