Protocol
AIM: IM administrations of drugs are for more 'sustained' release effects eg. analgesia.
1. Collect your equipment in a tray. Make sure that the sterile packaging is all intact before opening, and that any drugs are correct and still within their expiry dates. Using the larger needle, draw up the required amount of the prescribed medication into your syringe (it can be easier to tip the container up-side down in order to do this.)
2. Re-check the patient's details and the drug chart to ensure that you have the correct drug and dose.
3. Introduce yourself to the patient and explain the procedure. Obtain consent.
4. Wash your hands and put on the gloves.
5. Choose your injection site and clean the area with an alcohol swab. Allow it to dry (or else it will sting more). Commonly used sites are the deltoid region (upper lateral arm) and the gluteal muscles (upper-outer quadrant of the buttocks to avoid the sciatic nerve). If using the arm, get the patient to rest their arm on their hips. They should relax the muscle (should not contract it, or else it will hurt more)
6. Holding the needle and syringe like a ‘dart’ (between your index finger and thumb) at an angle of 90o to the skin, quickly 'jab' the needle into the skin. Depending on the site, the injection will be around 2-3 cm deep.
7. Once in position, aspirate (draw back on) the syringe to ensure that the needle has not been inserted into a blood vessel. If blood appears withdraw and replace the needle with a new one to begin the procedure again. If no blood appears, then you can continue with the injection.
8. Inject the prescribed drug slowly and firmly into the muscle.
9. Once complete, withdraw the needle rapidly and apply pressure to the area with your cotton wool ball. Some people like to gently massage the area to encourage spread of the drug.
10. Dispose of your sharps into the sharps bin immediately. Remove your gloves and wash your hands. Make sure that there is no bleeding at the injection site, and apply a dressing as requires. Thank the patient and document the drug administration on the appropriate chart.
