How to Give an Injection

## Steps for Administering an Injection

Wash your hands and put on gloves.

This is to prevent the spread of infection.

Prepare the injection site.

Use an alcohol swab to cleanse the area around the injection site. This helps to kill bacteria and reduce the risk of infection.

Hold the syringe correctly.

The barrel of the syringe should be held in one hand, with the index finger and thumb forming an “O” around the barrel. The plunger should be held in the other hand.

Insert the needle into the skin at a 90-degree angle.

The needle should be inserted quickly and smoothly. It should be inserted at a 90-degree angle to the skin. For intramuscular injections, insert the needle deep enough so that it reaches the muscle. For subcutaneous injections, insert the needle just below the surface of the skin.

Pull back on the plunger.

This is to check if the needle is in a blood vessel. If blood flows back into the syringe, remove the needle and insert it at a different location.

Inject the medication.

Inject the medication slowly, at a steady pace.

Withdraw the needle and apply pressure to the injection site.

Remove the needle quickly and smoothly. Apply pressure to the injection site with a sterile cotton ball or gauze.

Discard the syringe and needle in a sharps container.

Unscrew the needle from the syringe and discard the syringe and needle in a sharps container.

Tips for Giving Injections

Relax the person receiving the injection.

A relaxed person is less likely to move suddenly and cause the needle to bend or break.

Explain the procedure to the person receiving the injection.

This will help them to understand what is happening and to cooperate with the procedure.

Be confident.

If you are confident, the person receiving the injection is more likely to be confident.

If the person receiving the injection is a child, be gentle and reassuring.

This will help to reduce their anxiety and make the procedure more comfortable for them.