Intramuscular Injection (Self-injection)
Intramuscular Injection (Self-injection)
(IM Injection; Injection, IM; Injection, Intramuscular)
Definition
| Intramuscular Injection |
|
| A needle passes through skin and fat layers into the muscle fibers to deliver medication. |
| Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. |
Reasons for Procedure
- Certain antibiotics
- Certain contraceptive hormones
- Most vaccines
- Epinephrine injections for severe allergic reactions
Possible Complications
- Bleeding, soreness, or redness at the site
- Allergic reaction to the medicatiom
- Rarely, the site may become infected
What to Expect
Prior to Procedure
- Make sure you have all of the items that you will need in front of you.
- Make sure that you have the right medication and that it has not expired.
- Wash hands with warm, soapy water before giving the injection.
- Select a site for injection. This should be an area on your body with a large muscle, such as the thigh.
- Cleanse the area with an alcohol wipe.
Description of Procedure
- Remove the needle cap.
- Smooth the skin with one hand.
- Hold the syringe the way you would a pencil. Insert the needle at a 90° angle to the skin. The needle should be completely covered by skin.
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Hold the syringe with one hand. With the other, pull back the plunger to check for blood in the syringe.
- If you see blood, do not inject. Withdraw the needle and start again at a new site.
- If you do not see blood, slowly press down on the plunger until it stops.
- Remove the needle from the skin.
- If there is bleeding at the site of injection, apply a bandage.
- Immediately put the syringe and needle into a container that is puncture-proof.
- Find out what services are available in your area for disposing of biological waste.
Will It Hurt?
- Inject medication that is at room temperature.
- Remove all air bubbles from the syringe before the injection.
- Relax the muscles in the injection area.
- Quickly break through the skin.
- Do not change the direction of the needle as it goes in or comes out.
- Do not reuse disposable needles.
Care After Injection
Call Your Doctor
- Difficulty giving yourself the injection
- A lot of pain
- Medication is injected into the wrong area
- Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or any discharge from the injection site
- Rash or hives develop
- Difficulty breathing
- Fever
RESOURCES
American Academy of Family Physicians Family Doctor http://familydoctor.org
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases http://www.niaid.nih.gov
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Canadian Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.ca
Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca
References
Administer intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intradermal injections. Brookside Associates Multimedia Edition website. Available at: http://www.brooksidepress.org/Products/Administer%5FIM%5FSQ%5Fand%5FID%5FInjections/lesson%5F2%5FSection%5F1.htm. Accessed May 22, 2013.
Intramuscular injection (IM). Cincinnati Children's Hospital website. Available at: http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/i/intramuscular-injection/. Updated October 2010. Accessed May 22, 2013.
Selecting, evaluating, and using sharps disposal containers website. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/97-111. Accessed May 22, 2013.
