Did I do the IM injection correctly?

Hi,
Im a second semester RN student and Im currently doing my OB rotation. I gave a Depo-Provera injection to a woman. Ive never given an IM before and I have several concerns about how I did it.

1) My professor was with me every step of the way, but I dont think that the needle was long enough. The needle may have been inch, which I guess is supposed to suffcient for an IM injection but I gave her the Depo in her hip area, and she had quite a bit of SC fat there. I was very nervous.

2) After i withdrew the needle, one small drop of the med leaked back out of of her skin. Is this a confiramtion that the medication did not get to the muscle?

Please Help!
Quote from TayBabyNurseHi, Im a second semester RN student and Im currently doing my OB rotation. I gave a Depo-Provera injection to a woman. Ive never given an IM before and I have several concerns about how I did it. 1) My professor was with me every step of the way, but I dont think that the needle was long enough. The needle may have been inch, which I guess is supposed to suffcient for an IM injection but I gave her the Depo in her hip area, and she had quite a bit of SC fat there. I was very nervous. 2) After i withdrew the needle, one small drop of the med leaked back out of of her skin. Is this a confiramtion that the medication did not get to the muscle? Please Help!

I read a study recently that said that only 8% of IM injections given to women actually reach the muscle due to the level of SC tissue/fat....Best practice is IMI are to be given in the Ventrogluteal, or the deltoid if appropriate for the medication....Some leaking back happens quite often, Especially in psych meds which can be quite oily and hard to push. Have you learnt the Z-track technique? It's always a goodie for stopping the leak. Good luck! It's wonderful that you are actually thinking about the route of administration and the effectiveness of your technique!

I used to always give Depo Provera in the deltoid muscle. Rarely I would give it in the gluteus muscle, but if I did, I would give it Z-track. On ocassions I would have some medication leaking out, but the patient never complained or had an adverse reaction. Most importantly, they didn't become pregnant!

Depending on the volume of the injection, it is much easier to ensure delivery into the muscle in the deltoid. I always use 1.5in needle for IM

If you patient possessed more than an inch of adipose at that site I doubt you got it intramuscular. My instructors always said if you can pinch more than an inch get a longer needle.My spouse takes a depot injection every two weeks and I use a 1 1/2" and z track it. Haven't had any leak and haven't had any bleed. Adipose bleeds.

Yes the Z-track method works best and, I also palpate first for muscular bulkness on the preferred site before delivering IM injections. I had learned a lot with IM injections after my first experience giving MgSO4 deep IM alternately on the buttocks with a needle similar to the size of a spinal needle.

i would personally doubt that a 1" needle was sufficient for a young healthy female......

I give my sister her depo shot every three months and she always brings the needle and it's a 1" needle. My sister is a big girl. I always get a drop that leaks out. We have been doing this for four years and she has never gotten pregnant.

Quote from jennlpn1975I give my sister her depo shot every three months and she always brings the needle and it's a 1" needle. My sister is a big girl. I always get a drop that leaks out. We have been doing this for four years and she has never gotten pregnant.

Quote from P_RNMy spouse takes a depot injection every two weeks and I use a 1 1/2" and z track it. Haven't had any leak and haven't had any bleed. Adipose bleeds.

Thanks guys. I really was nervous that I dont think I spread the skin taut. They didnt really teach us the Z track technique, but Im going to ask one of the instructors to show me how.