Chapter 10 and 11
Parenteral Administration
• Equipment
– Syringes
• Syringe consists of a barrel, a plunger, and a tip.
• Outside of the barrel is calibrated in milliliters, minims, insulin
units, and heparin units.
• Types
– Tuberculin syringe
– Insulin syringe
– Three-milliliter syringe
– Safety-Lok syringes
– Disposable injection units
Figure 23-4
(From Elkin, M.K., Perry, A.G., Potter, P.A. [2004]. Nursing interventions and clinical skills. [3rd ed.]. St.
Louis: Mosby.)
Parts of a syringe.
Figure 23-6
(From Clayton, B.D., Stock, Y.N. [2004]. Basic pharmacology for nurses. [13th ed.]. St. Louis: Mosby.)
Calibration of U100 insulin syringe.
Figure 23-7
Reading the calibrations of a 3-mL syringe.
Figure 23-9
Safety-Glide syringe.
Figure 23-11
(From Clayton, B.D., Stock, Y.N. [2004]. Basic pharmacology for nurses. [13th ed.]. St. Louis: Mosby.)
Parts of a needle.
Parenteral Administration
• Equipment (continued)
– Needles
• Parts are the hub, shaft, and beveled tip.
• Opening at the needle’s beveled tip is the lumen.
• Size of the diameter of the inside of the needle’s
shaft determines the gauge of the needle; the smaller
the gauge, the larger is the diameter.
• Needle gauge selection is based on the viscosity of
the medication.
Parenteral Administration
• Equipment (continued)
– Needle Length
• Selected based on the depth of the tissue into which
the medication is to be injected
• Intradermal: 3/8 to 5/8 inch
• Subcutaneous: 5/8 to 1/2 inch
• Intramuscular: 1 to 1 1/2 inch
Figure 23-12
(From Clayton, B.D., Stock, Y.N. [2004]. Basic pharmacology for nurses. [13th ed.]. St. Louis: Mosby.)
Needle length and gauge.
Intramuscular injections
• Gauge-20-22
• Length-1-1 ½ inches
• Angle-90 degrees
• Darting motion
• ASPIRATE
Parenteral Administration
• Intramuscular Injections
– Involves inserting a needle into the muscle tissue to
administer medication
– Site Selection
• Gluteal sites
• Vastus lateralis muscle
• Rectus femoris muscle
• Deltoid muscle
– Z-track Method
• Used to inject medications that are irritating to the
tissues
Figure 23-15, C
(C, from Elkin, M.K., Perry, A.G., Potter, P.A. [2004]. Nursing interventions and clinical skills. [3rd ed.].
St. Louis: Mosby.)
Locating IM injection for ventrogluteal site.
Figure 23-16, C & D
(C, D, from Elkin, M.K., Perry, A.G., Potter, P.A. [2004]. Nursing interventions and clinical skills. [3rd ed.].
St. Louis: Mosby.)
Locating right dorsogluteal site. Giving IM injection in left
dorsogluteal site.
Figure 23-17, C
(C, from Elkin, M.K., Perry, A.G., Potter, P.A. [2004]. Nursing interventions and clinical skills. [3rd ed.].
St. Louis: Mosby.)
Giving IM injection in vastus lateralis site on adult.
Figure 23-18
(From Clayton, B.D., Stock, Y.N. [2004]. Basic pharmacology for nurses. [13th ed.]. St. Louis: Mosby.)
Rectus femoris muscle. A, Child/infant. B, Adult.
Figure 23-19, C
(C, from Elkin, M.K., Perry, A.G., Potter, P.A. [2004]. Nursing interventions and clinical skills. [3rd ed.].
St. Louis: Mosby.)
Giving IM injection in deltoid site.
Figure 23-20
(From Potter, P.A., Perry, A.G. [2005]. Fundamentals of nursing. [6th ed.]. St. Louis: Mosby.)
Intradermal Injections
• Gauge-25-29
• Length-1/4 to ½ inch
• Amount- 0.1 ml
• Angle-15 degrees
• DO NOT ASPIRATE
ParenteralAdministration
• Intradermal Injections
– Introduction of a hypodermic needle into the dermis for
the purpose of instilling a substance such as a serum,
vaccine, or skin test agent
– Not aspirated
– Small volumes (0.1 ml) injected to form a small
bubblelike wheal just under the skin
– Used for allergy sensitivity tests, TB screening, and
local anesthetics
– A tuberculin syringe used with a 25-gauge, 3/8- to 5/8-
inch needle
Figure 23-21
(From Potter, P.A., Perry, A.G. [2005]. Fundamentals of nursing. [6th ed.]. St. Louis: Mosby.)
Angles of insertion for intramuscular (90°), subcutaneous (45°), and
intradermal (15°).
Subcutaneous injections
• Gauge-25-29
• Length-3/8, ½ and 5/8 inches
• Angle-45 degrees
• DO NOT ASPIRATE
Parenteral Administration
• Subcutaneous Injections
– Injections made into the loose connective tissue
between the dermis and the muscle layer
– Drug absorption slower than with IM injections
– Given at a 45-degree angle if the patient is thin or at a
90-degree angle if the patient has ample subcutaneous
tissue
– Usual needle length is 1/2 to 5/8 inch and 25 gauge
– Used to administer insulin and heparin
Figure 23-22
(From Elkin, M.K., Perry, A.G., Potter, P.A. [2004]. Nursing interventions and clinical skills. [3rd ed.]. St.
Louis: Mosby.)
Subcutaneous injection. Angle and needle length depend on the
thickness of skinfold.
Nursing Process
• Nursing Diagnoses
– Anxiety
– Health-seeking behaviors
– Injury, risk for
– Knowledge deficient
– Mobility, impaired
– Noncompliance: drug regimen
– Sensory/perception, disturbed
