Technique for Administering Heparin

Heparin is a drug administered to patients at risk of a blood clot. This injectable anticoagulant may be administered by a nurse; however, some individuals prefer not to go to the doctor for frequent injections. With the approval of a doctor, heparin may be administered at home by individuals or family members. Injecting heparin, although it takes a bit of practice, is not difficult to do.

Preparing the Injection

• Your hands should be washed thoroughly before injecting an individual with heparin. Gloves should be worn to ensure the safety of both you, if you are a friend or family member administering the injection, and the patient. Injections work best when the patient is lying down, so make sure that the individual receiving the injection is on his or her back and comfortable. The abdomen of the patient should be checked closely for any bruising, as such areas must be avoided when choosing an injection site. Choose the site for injection---it should be roughly parallel to the navel or a couple of inches above on either side. A site at least a couple of inches away from the navel must be chosen for the injection. When a site is chosen, clean the area with a swab of alcohol.

Injecting Heparin

• After preparation, the site should be pinched lightly by the fingers with at least three inches of distance between the fingers. Pinching less skin will not only be more painful for the individual receiving the injection, it will also cause bruising or swelling of the injection site and can damage skin tissue below the surface. Have the patient take a deep breath, and press the needle gently underneath the skin as he or she exhales. The needle can be placed directly into the skin without angling it, unless the patient is skinny. Medication should then be injected slowly and without aspirating the needle. Take special care not to move or twist the needle before or during injection of the medication, as this may also cause bruising or pain.

Finishing Up

• Let go of the pinched skin. Pull the needle straight out of the skin, once again without twisting or jerking. An alcohol pad or cotton swap must be pressed against the injection site and held until bleeding stops. This may take several minutes, so don't pull the alcohol swab away too quickly. The patient's response must be monitored carefully for several minutes to ensure that he or she has accepted the medication without any incident. Rashes, redness, or continued bleeding must be taken note of and discussed with a doctor.