Nursing students and new nurses.....about injection sites

Nurses Medications

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I heard something today that just flabbergasted me......when I was in school back in the days of the horse and buggy, we had to name all IM injection sites and be able to demonstrate how to administer at each site. I can give VG and glute and VL meds blindfold and asleep. Today we had a medsurg nurse float to the ER. She's relatively new, graduated about a year and a half ago, I believe. She was asking us how to find the glute sites to give an IM to a pt, because in school she had only been taught deltoids. Huh???? Let me add that she went to a very reputable nursing school and she has proven to be an excellent nurse on the floor. All pts admitted to the floors who need anything more than PO meds get IVs and injectables are given IV. My tech said that she received Toradol and Compazine in the doctor's office the other day (same doc's MA who gave my baby the flu vax I talked about here) and the MA gave both to her in the deltoids. My eyes went wide....both meds can be caustic, as well as 2 mls each. Is this what's being taught now???

We learned all the IM injection sites second semester... I didn't give an IM injection until I started working as a RN during orientation and by then needed a refresher of the landmarks...

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Specializes in Trauma.

I learned them in my first semester of holistic fundamentals. I know how to find the area on the glute and adminster one. I have administered all ways. I have even had the opportunity to do a ppd and today I drew blood. But my point is, I have NEVER used the IM except for the flu vaccine clinic, but I do know where all areas are and how to find the two ways of finding the correct area on the glute so I don't hit the nerve:)

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Know what you mean. Many days I think nursing schools need to get back to the basics. I really think that is why so many new grads become stressed to the point they leave nursing after only a couple of years. They have no practical training. I don't see the point in all the book work with no hands on. It's like training a pilot with books and then woundering why they can't take the stress of a real flight. New grads, don't be mistaken,we had just as much book work but three full days of gut wrenching clinicals on top of it.The BS they learn in school these days!

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Do RN students take blood from each other?? Give shots to each other??

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Do RN students take blood from each other?? Give shots to each other??

In my program (graduated 2 years ago) we wanted to practice on each other, but were not allowed to. Liability, I guess. No wonder people are clueless when giving their first IMs. A fellow classmate and I did practice on each other secretly.

As an aside, my son is in the military, and he complained that when entering basic, he got a HUUUUGE (his words) penicillin shot in the butt, and that he couldn't sit down for a week! I guess they aren't too worried about the sciatic nerve. I was quite amused that he thought every recruit got the shot so they wouldn't get sick. I pointed out that every recruit probably got the shot to clear up any incoming STDs. :)

Oldiebutgoodie

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Wow. I figured that we most certainly had to practice on each other. I am surprised. I was thinking that was part of the training. Oh well.

Thanks for sharing the insight! It helps a new RN student out!

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We can't do IV or IM injections on each other, but we did SC, Intradermal on each other.

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Specializes in Trauma.
Do RN students take blood from each other?? Give shots to each other??

Not that I know of. I drew blood on my patient with the assistance of the RN. The patient was getting vancomycin and my RN showed me how to do it by drawing the first time and then I drew it the second time around and did good, which was such a relief:)

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Thanks everyone! I was just curious as to whether we stuck each other or not.

Have a happy holiday!!

:Present2:

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Specializes in jack of all trades.
Hi. I will be a new RN student starting in Jan. How many shots, IV's, IM's do we give each other in RN school?? Do we take each other's blood?? I am guessing we do all this, but just wanted some insight.

:icon_rolleyes:

Thanks! Epona

It depends on your schools program. I know the program I went to back in the day still does this practice today with students. Rn students practice their IM, SC, and IV's on each other before we are passed on the task or permitted to do so on patients. Every program is different. I would hate for you to think you may never have to do so when reality is you may very well need to dependant on your programs requirements. Some schools do some schools dont. At no time did we draw blood though.

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Ok it's been a few years since I was in school. (did learn all the sites) but I have a question. I read several people say never give more than 1ml in the deltoid.

I don't give a lot of IMs but I am pretty sure I remember being taught that you do not give more than 1 ml in any site. So if you have more than that to give you give it in different sites.

Is my memory off? What is the rule?:uhoh21:

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Ok it's been a few years since I was in school. (did learn all the sites) but I have a question. I read several people say never give more than 1ml in the deltoid.

I don't give a lot of IMs but I am pretty sure I remember being taught that you do not give more than 1 ml in any site. So if you have more than that to give you give it in different sites.

Is my memory off? What is the rule?:uhoh21:

You can give up to 3 mls in the larger muscles according to our sources, but just 1ml in the deltoid.

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