ADMINISTRATION OF SUBCUTANEOUS MEDICATION

REQUIREMENTS #

1. A tray with the following:
   • Sterile 1-2mls syringe and needles
   • Prefilled syringe with medication (if available)
   • Ampoule containing the medication
   • Gallipot with sterile cotton wool swabs
   • Gallipot with antimicrobial solution
   • Receiver for used swabs
   • File if necessary

STEPS #

1. Check for the right patient, right medication, right time, right dose against doctor’s order and treatment chart (manual or electronic) as well as the expiry date
2. Establish rapport (Refer to steps)
3. Explain procedure and reassure patient
4. Ensure patient’s right to know/consent and to refuse medication
5. Perform hand hygiene
6. Choose the correct needle size
7. Prepare and sent tray to the bed side
8. Check patient details and medication dosage against the treatment chart (manual or electronic)
9. Assemble syringe and needle using sterile technique
10. File/break ampoule with a clean swab
11. Draw medication with a syringe and discard the needle into the sharps container
12. If it is a prefilled syringe with medication remove the cover of the syringe
13. Expose the chosen site
14. Clean the chosen site with a swab dipped in antimicrobial solution
15. Grasp/spread the skin firmly
16. Insert the needle into the skin at an angle of 45° and release the grasped skin
17. Avoid step 18 if it is a prefilled medicated syringe
18. Pull back the plunger, if no blood is aspirated depress the plunger and inject the medication slowly. (If blood appears withdraw the needle, replace it and begin again. Explain to the patient what has occurred)
19. Withdraw the needle rapidly, apply pressure to any bleeding point
20. Discard syringe and needle into a sharps container
21. Put patient into a desirable position
22. Document procedure on nurses’ notes and chart on the treatment chart (manual or electronic)
23. Dispose off used items and decontaminate tray
24. Perform hand hygiene
25. Check on patient after thirty (30) minutes for therapeutic effect