Procrit.....SubQ?

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Specializes in Critical care, Pediatris & Geriatrics.

Hi everyone I need some advice or instruction! I am a nursing student 6 months into the program. Well while passing meds Friday I came across a resident who needed a Procrit injection. Well as my instructor was watching me, I drew the med and asked her "SubQ right"? she said yes. Well when I went into the room to give the resident the injection in her upper R arm, she said it hurt Soooooooo bad. As I comforted her and went back to my med cart my instructor THEN PROCEEDED to tell me that, Oh this should of been a "deep SubQ" like an IM at 90 degree angle instead of 45? I'm really confused because in skills lab I only learned about SubQ (45), IM(90)..what did I miss? Has anyone gave Procrit with the same reaction before? thanks for any help.

Amy:redbeathe

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Specializes in LTC, Subacute Rehab.

Injection angle depends on the length of needle, weight of patient, etc. The one time I've given a Procrit-like drug, it was in a one-time-use autoinjector. This was to be held at a 90-degree angle to the skin, but I don't see why that would be necessary with a regular syringe. If you injected straight in on a thin patient, you might end up giving the Procrit IM.

Some patients are just hurt much more than others by injections.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

Procrit hurts. Or so, my ESRD patients have told me. Doesn't sound like you did anything wrong.

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Specializes in Everything!.

As was mentioned before... when you give injections you need to pay attention to the body frame of the patient and the particular needle you are using.

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Specializes in ER, PCU, ICU.

Procrit is usually refrigerated. I've found that pts don't complain AS much about the ouch factor if you let it warm up to room temp before administration. I usually take out the procrit about 30 minutes before I give it.

There are only a few drugs off the top of my head I can think of where this helps... EPO and Octreotide.

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