Stelara injection how would you handle this

[Slipping CMA]

When I give Stelara injections I have always done then subq. Today a patient came in for one and I’m working in a new place. The Dr asked me if I knew how to give it and I said yes it’s a subq injection. To which he replied no it’s an IM. Then he went in the room with me and watched me give it in the glute. ( his instructions). I looked it up tonight and according to the website I’m right it’s subq.

This Dr has an ego, how do I properly inform him he’s wrong and how would you tell the patient the next time he/she comes in. They are used to getting it IM and suddenly I have to inform them they have been getting it the wrong way.

[CrunchyEvenInMilk, BSN, RN]

You could always show him the package insert. It usually has the administration info. I would also bring the package insert along to show the patient. Here's the thing tho. It's still possible to give a SQ injection in the lower back area near the glute. Maybe that's why the doc thinks it's IM?

[Slipping CMA]

That’s true you can give subq in that area of the glute. I’m not sure why he thought it was an IM but even the needle was a Subq needle. I guess because of the short needle I may have given him a subq shot in the glute. I don’t know if that needle could reach the muscles

I should have stopped when he said for me to do it IM and looked at the package insert. I’m not used to having to correct a Dr.

especially this Dr. we have probably all run into then, they have an ego and are always right. I respect the 20 years they spent in school but his ego makes it hard for me to say something like I’d like to double check. Which is what I probably should have said. But I know he would have barked at me that we are wasting patients time. Plus since I work under his license I feel like it’s do as he says

His wife is OCD, but as one myself I really appreciate her. She’ll gladly double check. If I want a 2nd set of eyes to look the shot over before giving the shot she is right there waiting for me to ask to look it over. And she’s an excellent set of 2nd eyes, she taught me to look at the exp date on the bottle not just the packaging.

[CrunchyEvenInMilk, BSN, RN]

5 minutes ago, Slipping CMA said:

That’s true you can give subq in that area of the glute. I’m not sure why he thought it was an IM but even the needle was a Subq needle. I guess because of the short needle I may have given him a subq shot in the glute. I don’t know if that needle could reach the muscles

I should have stopped when he said for me to do it IM and looked at the package insert. I’m not used to having to correct a Dr.

especially this Dr. we have probably all run into then, they have an ego and are always right. I respect the 20 years they spent in school but his ego makes it hard for me to say something like I’d like to double check. Which is what I probably should have said. But I know he would have barked at me that we are wasting patients time. Plus since I work under his license I feel like it’s do as he says

His wife is OCD, but as one myself I really appreciate her. She’ll gladly double check. If I want a 2nd set of eyes to look the shot over before giving the shot she is right there waiting for me to ask to look it over. And she’s an excellent set of 2nd eyes, she taught me to look at the exp date on the bottle not just the packaging.

I used to be an MA at a doctor's office, too! I'm not sure about the personality of the doctor you work for, but mine would be thankful if we caught an error. You hit the nail on the head: you work under his license. If he has no license, you can't work (at least not for him). Teamwork makes the dream work and all that jazz. Don't be afraid to respectfully correct the physician. At the end of the day, he's just a human and is capable of mistakes the same as the rest of us. Good luck to you!!!