Injection Types and Sites: What Nursing Students Need to Know

Mar 30, 2023 Ultrassist

As a nursing student, it's important to have a thorough understanding of the different types of injections and their corresponding sites. Proper administration of injections is a crucial skill for nurses, as it can greatly impact the efficacy of medications and patient outcomes. In this blog post, we will discuss the four common types of injections, their procedures, precautions, and commonly used sites. Additionally, we will recommend some products for nursing students to practice their injection skills and aid in classroom learning.

1. Intramuscular (IM) Injection

The intramuscular injection is given into the muscle, typically the deltoid, gluteus maximus, or vastus lateralis. The steps for administering an IM injection are as follows:

Clean the injection site with an alcohol swab.
Hold the syringe like a pencil and insert the needle into the muscle at a 90-degree angle.
Aspirate to check for blood; if there is none, inject the medication slowly.
Remove the needle and apply pressure with a cotton ball or sterile gauze.

Precautions for IM injections:

Avoiding areas with scars, bruises, or inflammation
Using a longer needle for larger muscles, and not injecting more than the recommended volume into one site

2. Subcutaneous (SC) Injection

Subcutaneous injections are given into the fatty tissue below the skin, typically on the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. The steps for administering an SC injection are as follows:

Clean the injection site with an alcohol swab.
Pinch the skin and insert the needle at a 45-degree angle.
Aspirate to check for blood; if there is none, inject the medication slowly.
Remove the needle and apply pressure with a cotton ball or sterile gauze.

Precautions for SC injections:

Rotating injection sites to prevent scarring
Using an appropriate needle length for the patient's body size and tissue thickness

We have developed several injection pads and injection simulators that you can wear on the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm used for subcutaneous injection training in a safe environment.

3. Intradermal (ID) Injection

Intradermal injections are given into the top layer of skin, typically on the forearm. These injections are commonly used for diagnostic tests such as tuberculosis screening. The steps for administering an ID injection are as follows:

Clean the injection site with an alcohol swab.
Hold the syringe like a pencil and insert the needle at a 15-degree angle.
Inject a small amount of medication just beneath the skin.
Remove the needle and apply pressure with a cotton ball or sterile gauze.

Precautions for ID injections:

Avoiding areas with scars, veins, or moles
Not injecting more than the recommended volume into one site

There is an intradermal injection arm I want to share with you, that you can practice intradermal injection technique with in-time feedback.

intradermal injection practice arm for nursing students

4. Intravenous (IV) Injection

Intravenous injections are given directly into the vein and are typically administered by trained professionals in a hospital or clinical setting. The steps for administering an IV injection are as follows:

Clean the injection site with an alcohol swab.
Insert a sterile needle into the vein at a 15- to 30-degree angle.
Secure the needle in place with tape or a sterile dressing.
Connect the syringe or IV tubing to the needle and slowly inject the medication.

Precautions for IV injections:

Check for allergies
Administer the medication slowly to avoid adverse reactions
Monitor the patient for any signs of complications

There are lots of products for IV practice. We should know the preferred veins for intravenous catheter insertion. Confirm the vein's location and find the right models that come with these veins correctly positioned for realistic IV practice. Generally, the same model also can be used to practice venipuncture and blood draw techniques, such as IV practice hand.

Recommended Injection Training Products for Nursing Students

Practice injections can greatly improve a nursing student's confidence and skill in administering injections. Here are a few products that are highly recommended for nursing students.

➤ IV Injection Arm: This realistic model allows students to practice IV injections and blood draws.

➤ Ultrassist Intradermal Injection Practice Arm: This model allows students to practice ID injections and features realistic skin and timely feedback for injection training.

➤ Injection Pads: These pads simulate the texture and feel of human skin and are reusable for IV, IM, ID, and SC injection practice. Generally, injection pads are cheaper than injection arms.

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