Vaccination at Dorsogluteal Site

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I had an adult patient earlier who was so scared of needles who insisted to receive vaccines (Pneumovax, Tdap) at the dorsogluteal site. I asked a doctor and was told that was okay.

I made sure I did the proper technique, gave it at the right area, but have you ever heard of the dorsogluteal site being contraindicated for vaccines? The worst I could think of is the vaccine having less efficacy.

Any theories? :)

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

To my understanding, the dorsogluetal site isn't really preferred because of the risk of sciatic nerve damage. If you do have to use the dorsogluteal site, you have to inject in the outer upper quadrant of the gluteus muscle. This is farther away from the sciatic nerve and cuts down on the risk of damaging the nerve.

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Yes, I made sure I used the upper quadrant. I'm just not sure if there were other safety issues I did not know about.

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Specializes in ED Nursing, Critical Care Nursing.

I've never heard of the dorsogluteal site being contraindicated for vaccines. As long as you employed proper techniques for locating IM landmarks (as another poster said, upper out quadrant), aseptic technique, etc. there shouldn't be any issue. It's an IM injection, and you used an appropriate IM injection site, so no worries.

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Specializes in Surgery, Tele, OB, Peds,ED-True Float RN.

We are not allowed to use the Dorsogluteal site for IM's anymore. We now use the Ventral Gluteal site only. It is pretty much free of nerves and vasculature as opposed to dorsogluteal site.

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