IM injections - divide into 2 or keep as 1?

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Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.
RN B.Mus, BSN, BHA. ENPC, EMT-P, CATN, CCNS, CSC, CNML, NRP, ACLS, TNCC, CFRN, CRNI, PALS, NALS,.......and a few more. Man I have blown a ton of cash. I don't use them anymore as I have been ill with a rare autoimmune disorder for the last 2 years and I am not working so, they have lapsed or been retired besides being very expensive to keep.....and some you have to be actively working to keep. I keep my RN active by consulting work Ah....such is life.Every Time I have to look for this it's a nightmare, everyone is so vague.Intramuscular Injections: The volume is not to exceed 5 mL in adults of average weight. Volumes in excess of 5 mL will be given in divided doses at different sites. Maximum volume for infants (birth to 1 year): 0.5 mL; for children 1-2 years: 1 mL; children 2-12 years: 2 mL.Administer Intramuscular, Subcutaneous, and Intradermal Injections
Thanks for the info, I am guessing every resource for the info is giving us all different answers, seeing as how we all are using different resources.Rod, RN, BSN
Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.

Esme I am so sorry your sick, as I am a liver transplant patient, going on a year now since the transplant and doing well, I also suffer with chronic kidney stones since I was a teenager, speaking of I have one now I had to go to the er last night, and then I had a stupid doctor that doesnt like toradol and he shot me so full of morphine I have been puking all night, oh well I see the urologist on monday if the pain doesnt kill me before then. LolRod, Rn, Bsn

Merlyn

852 Posts

Specializes in none.

I give IM in the butt or thighs and subq in deltoid

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN

1 Article; 20,908 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Esme I am so sorry your sick, as I am a liver transplant patient, going on a year now since the transplant and doing well, I also suffer with chronic kidney stones since I was a teenager, speaking of I have one now I had to go to the er last night, and then I had a stupid doctor that doesnt like toradol and he shot me so full of morphine I have been puking all night, oh well I see the urologist on monday if the pain doesnt kill me before then. LolRod, Rn, Bsn

Good for you!!! Congrats...my prayers for you continued wellness. Hey, it could have been a brain tumor or ALS....At least this doens't progress like that......so I am fine. I just miss working very much...The IM question comes up all the time and there are really no real hard guidelines out there. Peace!

sapphire18

1,082 Posts

Specializes in ICU.
I give IM in the butt or thighs and subq in deltoid

The deltoid is a muscle, so that would be IM. If giving SC injections in the arm, I use the "flab" on the outer, back side of the upper arm.

Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.
The deltoid is a muscle, so that would be IM. If giving SC injections in the arm, I use the "flab" on the outer, back side of the upper arm.
Exactley!!!!!

sauconyrunner

553 Posts

Specializes in Emergency.

Just a note of caution. In patients who are very large, we all need to remember most of the largeness is not muscle, but fat. To get to the muscle- which is where the med is intended to go, we need to use a slightly longer needle, and it is important to remember that just because someone is large, it does not mean they have a large muscle mass.

subee, MSN, CRNA

1 Article; 5,429 Posts

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
I know this post older and I hate to open it back up here, but, OP stated that drug/ abx to be given was/ is clindamycim, now clindy is abx, my history with abx deep im is that the majority are generally painfull and usually anywhere from 4 to 6 mls/cc's the best place to give an abx deep im, in one injection, in a glute, well diluted by putting some lidocaine in the syringe after you draw upW th e abx.Sincerely,Rod, RN, BSN, Cen, Ccrn, tncc, Cfrn, Nurse manager- ed/ sicu
Wow! All those iinitials are exhausting.
Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.
Wow! All those iinitials are exhausting.
No kidding! Lol! Thats why I usually dont write or type them lol.

ajtcsx

4 Posts

Just a note of caution. In patients who are very large, we all need to remember most of the largeness is not muscle, but fat. To get to the muscle- which is where the med is intended to go, we need to use a slightly longer needle, and it is important to remember that just because someone is large, it does not mean they have a large muscle mass.

I'm glad you brought that up. Personally I prefer to get all of my IM injections in my DG site. When I ask the nurse what size needle they are using often they say 1". I'm then in an awkward situation of asking her to use a 1 1/2" needle.

jhCMA

2 Posts

I recently had to give Rocephin 750mg to a 3 year old who weighted 33 lbs and had a decent size toosh. I choose the DG area as they would be coming back the next day to get another round of the Rocephin and Solumedrol 0.5ml (one injection in each DG). Was this the right site to choose of should the shot have been split and put in the VL. Splitting it would of ment 3 injections for the patient instead of 2. Can someone please give some input on this. Rocephin was mixed with lidocaine. Based on the above post this should have been okay. But because it was Rocephin I am questioning this

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN

1 Article; 20,908 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I recently had to give Rocephin 750mg to a 3 year old who weighted 33 lbs and had a decent size toosh. I choose the DG area as they would be coming back the next day to get another round of the Rocephin and Solumedrol 0.5ml (one injection in each DG). Was this the right site to choose of should the shot have been split and put in the VL. Splitting it would of meant 3 injections for the patient instead of 2. Can someone please give some input on this. Rocephin was mixed with lidocaine. Based on the above post this should have been okay. But because it was Rocephin I am questioning this
Welcome to AN! he largest online nursing community!

Well....This post was referring to an adult. AND some facilities are shying away from the DG for various reasons. For small children however....caution should be exercised and their size, and age, taken into consideration. A three year old hasn't been walking that long so their muscle isn't that developed. Remember just because they have a big toosh....doesn't mean the muscle is that developed.

If the Rocephin 750 mg reconstituted is 3mgs.......I personally would have given 3 shots....AND I would NOT have used the DG.....I would have used VL for the Rocephin and Deltoid for Solumedrol. Yes it's 3....1.5ml and 1.5ml and the 0.5 in the deltoid...it's 3 shots but that's how it has to be given.

Administer Intramuscular, Subcutaneous, and Intradermal Injections

Intramuscular Injections: The volume is not to exceed 5 mL in adults of average weight. Volumes in excess of 5 mL will be given in divided doses at different sites. Maximum volume for infants (birth to 1 year): 0.5 mL; for children 1-2 years: 1 mL; children 2-12 years: 2 mL.

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