Menu Close

What is the needle range for an intramuscular injection on an obese adult?

What is the needle range for an intramuscular injection on an obese adult?

For example, Potter and Perry (2008) acknowledged that a longer needle is necessary for IM than for a subcutaneous injection to ensure penetration of the muscle tissue. They indicate that a 3-inch needle might be needed for a very obese person, while a 0.5- to 1-inch needle would be adequate for a thin person.

How are IM injections given?

How to administer an intramuscular injection

  1. 1) Wash your hands.
  2. 2) Gather all needed supplies.
  3. 3) Locate injection site.
  4. 4) Clean injection site.
  5. 5) Prepare syringe with medication.
  6. 6) Self-injection with a syringe.
  7. 7) Inject the medication.
  8. 8) Remove the needle.

What is Z technique im injection?

The Z-track method is a type of IM injection technique used to prevent tracking (leakage) of the medication into the subcutaneous tissue (underneath the skin). During the procedure, skin and tissue are pulled and held firmly while a long needle is inserted into the muscle.

Where do you give a subcutaneous injection?

Subcutaneous tissue is all over your body, but the most common areas for subcutaneous injections are:

  • the upper outer area of the arm.
  • the front and outer sides of the thighs.
  • the abdomen, except for a 2 inch area around the navel.
  • the upper outer area of the buttocks.
  • the upper hip.

How should the nurse give a subcutaneous injection to a patient who is obese?

Nurses administering subcutaneous injections must use safety syringe devices and know how to activate the safety mechanism. If the patient is obese, pinching the tissue and using a needle long enough to insert through the fatty tissue at the base of the skinfold is effective.

What is airlock technique?

At the same time, it is believed that the air-lock technique (ALT) used in the administration of IM injections reduces tissue trauma, and reduces pain at the time of injection by preventing the medication from reaching the subcutaneous tissue.

What happens if you give a subcutaneous injection wrong?

Are there any complications? The most common complication of a subcutaneous injection is pain near the injection site for 1 to 2 days afterward. Pain near the injection site can happen when inserting the needle at the wrong angle, or when it moves slightly during the injection.