Where do you give your heparin?

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We had a discussion last night, and I was wondering if ya'll could give me some input. So where do you give your SQ heparin? (And don't say "in the pt's room" or "in the hospital", haha!) We were talking about acceptable injection sites, and there was quite a bit of argument. I'm not going to say anything about our debate until after I see what you guys have to say. Thanks!!!

I had an instructor who said to give heparin in the "belly smile" lol.

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

Yep...belly for the fat..unless they have a lot of fat somewhere else and not a lot in stomach...had one pt who had a big arm flaps...but toned stomach...so we wound up giving it in the arm...so I vote budda bella...

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Always in the belly. Never the arm. I had to have Lovenox injections BID before I was a nurse, and my husband was actually instructed to give it in my arms. The scary part is, when I went to the ER because of numerous hard knots under my skin ( we thought it was more blood clots, the reason I was on Lovenox to begin with), the ER doc gave us DC instructions to continue injections in the arms. Which of course, resulted in more hemotomas due to wrong injection site.:banghead:

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

In the eye.

Just joking. I agree with everyone else--give it in the belly slow. It burns really bad and your patients won't appreciate it if you push it too fast.

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Specializes in ortho,peds,medsurg ICU,psych.

True, it has always been a belly target, but at Grady, some of the patients are long termers and hard headed to boot. I was told that if the patient looks at you like you have 2 heads and demands it be given in the arm, to do so as long as they have fatty tissue there. Not a good compromise since it is absorbed better in the abdomen, but I guess better than risking emotional jeopardy.

Alice

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Specializes in ICU.

I was recently told the Lateral abd "love handle areas" were best. It is accepted however to give in the lateral thigh for pt's that cannot have it in the abd. (ex. a peritoneal diaylsis pt or abd. pt or even a very very thin pt.),....

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Specializes in ccu cardiovascular.

I've always given it in the belly because that's what I was always taught and am glad now I saw your post.

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Okay in case you were wondering...

I almost always give it in the abdomen at least 2 inches away from the umbilicus (that was all I was taught about it in nursing school). I've had pts who have been at other hospitals and said they did it in the arms. I have used the thigh before per pt request. I actually called pharmacy that night. Someone said they heard that there are no other acceptable heparin sites besides the abd, but this pt refused to have it anywhere but the thighs - I wanted to make sure it was okay to do it there before I did it, and since we don't get a package insert on hep, I called. We put a pharmacist on it, and she looked it up and called us back. All she said was that she couldn't find any contraindications for giving it in the thighs. But some nurses are very strict and REFUSE to give heparin anywhere else - even if the pt has a huge MLA incision! So I was just wondering what you guys do. Thanks for the replies!

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Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.
In the eye. :yeah::yeah::chuckle

Just joking. I agree with everyone else--give it in the belly slow. It burns really bad and your patients won't appreciate it if you push it too fast.

Most of our pts have had big abd surgeries, we always give them lovenox or heparin in the arm, med pt's get the belly, I agree, SLOW, much less burn

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Specializes in Med surg, Critical Care, LTC.

In your mind, cut the abdomen below the umbilicus into 4 quadrants. You give your injections in theses quadrants, rotating the site each time.

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