B12 injections,can you give it in the arm muscle?

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What is the preferable site for giving B12 injection? I'm a fairly new nurse and I have a pt that is receiving B12 injections. I haven't had much opportunity to practice intramuscular injections. I only gave one to a 3 day old baby in a thigh.

I heard that you can give b12 in the arm, thigh and buttocks.

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I'm actually still in nursing school, but have just been diagnosed with pernicious anemia and started getting B12 shots in the arm (deltoid). Hope this helps!

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Specializes in multispecialty ICU, SICU including CV.

You know what, I don't know what is preferred for sure. I tried looking it up in a drug book when I had to do it and it didn't say. You can give it both SQ or IM, I do know that, and I don't think the dosage matters as far as that goes.

I had to give this to my grandmother at home a few years ago when she was failing - they had me do it instead of having home health come in 1x/week. I gave it to her IM in the deltoid many times before she died with no issues, so I think it was tolerated fine. Every once in a while I would do it in her hiney but as she became bedbound this was a little harder to do when I was the only one there. I usually let her pick the site.

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I'm actually still in nursing school, but have just been diagnosed with pernicious anemia and started getting B12 shots in the arm (deltoid). Hope this helps!

Yes it helps a bunch!! Cause I gave my first deltoid shot today for the patient and I quess I just wanted reassurance that I choosen the right spot..

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You know what, I don't know what is preferred for sure. I tried looking it up in a drug book when I had to do it and it didn't say. You can give it both SQ or IM, I do know that, and I don't think the dosage matters as far as that goes.

I had to give this to my grandmother at home a few years ago when she was failing - they had me do it instead of having home health come in 1x/week. I gave it to her IM in the deltoid many times before she died with no issues, so I think it was tolerated fine. Every once in a while I would do it in her hiney but as she became bedbound this was a little harder to do when I was the only one there. I usually let her pick the site.

Yeah next time I will try a different site and give it in the tigh and then buttocks-I'm sooooo afraid to give it in the behind because the kidney are so close and the nerve.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

"I just wanted reassurance that I choosen (sic) a right spot.."

I'm not sure that I would take one patient's advice as golden as to the correct injection site.

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Specializes in Assisted Living Nurse Manager.

I worked family practice for many years and we always gave the B12 in the deltoid.

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"I just wanted reassurance that I choosen (sic) a right spot.."

I'm not sure that I would take one patient's advice as golden as to the correct injection site.

Thank you!!! Good to know !!

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I worked family practice for many years and we always gave the B12 in the deltoid.

Thanks.I would like to try the tigh next time...

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Specializes in ICU/CCU; PED'S; SURGERY; MED/SURG; NEURO.

B12 canbe given either IM or SC but I always do IM in the deltoid, unless my patients want it somewhere else.

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B12 canbe given either IM or SC but I always do IM in the deltoid, unless my patients want it somewhere else.

I wonder if there are meds that cant be given in the deltoid.

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Am I missing something? You can ? hit the kidneys ? if you give intramuscular injections in the dorsogluteal or ventrogluteal (buttocks)?

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